URMC Breaks Ground on New Golisano Children's Hospital
After five years of planning, including substantial input from children and families, the University of Rochester made history today as it broke ground on its largest capital project ever – the new Golisano Children's Hospital.
University President Joel Seligman, University of Rochester Medical Center CEO Bradford C. Berk, M.D., Ph.D., and Paychex founder and hospital namesake B. Thomas Golisano took part in today's groundbreaking ceremony, along with several children who have benefitted from the hospital's care.
“This is a proud day, when we can start building a world-class children's hospital for our region's children and families,” Seligman said. “We have already been delivering outstanding patient care, and this new facility is going to make Rochester a destination for pediatric care across upstate New York and the nation.”
The new $145 million building, located on Crittenden Boulevard and attached to the Medical Center and Strong Memorial Hospital, will have eight floors and approximately 245,000 square feet of space dedicated to children and their families. The new hospital features 52 private, patient rooms, a greatly expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and various spaces designed to meet the needs of children and their families.
“This new hospital has given us a chance to take our goal of patient- and family-centered care to a whole new level,” Berk said. “Having the space to accommodate a patient’s family means they can truly be part of their child's care team. Children heal faster and more comfortably when they have their families with them while they are hospitalized.”
The project is being financed through a combination of equity, loans, and a comprehensive fundraising effort. In addition to the new building, Golisano Children’s Hospital’s $100 million campaign, which launched publicly in October 2011, supports major enhancements to several pediatric programs. The effort is part of the University of Rochester Medical Center’s $650 million campaign and the overall $1.2 billion goal of The Meliora Challenge: The Campaign for the University of Rochester.
Not only will the new building give pediatric patients and their families private rooms, it will also include a new hospitality suite that parents can use to shower, prepare and eat home-cooked meals as a family, or even run a load of laundry.
“This is truly the community’s children’s hospital. The children and families of the Greater Rochester region have been our partners, literally at the table, in designing this hospital to meet their needs, as well as those of the staff who care for them,” said Nina F. Schor, M.D., Ph.D., pediatrician-in-chief of Golisano Children's Hospital and the William H. Eilinger Chair of Pediatrics. “While we are more than halfway there in funding this critical project, we have a long way to go before we can open the doors in 2015.”
The building has been designed by Ballinger Architects, a Philadelphia-based firm that specializes in health care facilities. Construction manager LeChase Construction, LLC, will oversee the three-year project, which the Center for Governmental Research calculates will create 1,066 construction jobs.
To explore the building and naming opportunities online, visit www.givetokids.urmc.edu and click on “Explore Our New Building.”