The Daily Dig
Atrium Health broke ground on a $116 million patient tower expansion at Atrium Health Union West, adding 88 patient rooms and 11 emergency department bays to a hospital straining to keep up with demand.
Growing Pains, Growing Plans
The numbers explain the urgency. Since opening in February 2022, Union West has treated more than 200,000 patients. Visits have climbed 127% in that span.
The fix is a 67,000 square foot addition on top of the existing facility in Matthews, N.C. Beyond the 88 inpatient rooms and 11 ER bays, the project adds an endoscopy room and a procedure room. It also brings upgrades to imaging and ancillary support services.
DPR Construction is Atrium's partner on the project. The tower is targeting a fall 2028 opening.
Seth Goldwire, president of Atrium Health Union West and Atrium Health Anson, framed the project as catching up to a region that's already arrived. "Not long ago, many residents had to leave the area for hospital care. Today, patients and families can access a wide range of services much closer to where they live."
Missy Baker, chief nursing officer at Atrium Health Union West, Atrium Health Union and Atrium Health Anson, tied the expansion to something less about square footage and more about proximity when it matters most. "Whether someone is facing a medical emergency, welcoming a new baby or managing a serious illness, being able to receive care close to their family and support system can make a meaningful difference."
Snapshot:
Project: Atrium Health Union West patient tower expansion
Owner/Health System: Atrium Health, part of Advocate Health
Construction Partner: DPR Construction
Location: Matthews, North Carolina
Population Served: Union County and southeastern Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Sector: Healthcare
Scope: New patient tower adding 88 patient rooms, 11 emergency department bays, an endoscopy room, a procedure room, and expanded imaging/ancillary/support services
Size: 67,000+ square feet
Value: $116 million
Status: Groundbreaking complete
Timeline: Expected opening in fall 2028
Original Facility Opened: February 2022
Patients Served Since Opening: 200,000+
Patient Visit Growth: 127% increase since opening
Parent Organization: Advocate Health, based in Charlotte, N.C.
TheJobWalk Thoughts
Expanding an already-operating hospital instead of building new is the easier lift for everyone bidding this one. The facility, the utility infrastructure, and the demand are already proven. That tends to make owners more decisive and schedules more stable than a ground-up healthcare build in unproven territory.
The room mix here is worth watching closely. Endoscopy and procedure rooms carry specialized mechanical and infrastructure requirements that general patient rooms don't, and subs who understand that distinction early are in a better position when scope gets defined.
A fall 2028 target gives trades real lead time to plan labor and material logistics around what is typically tighter sequencing on an active healthcare campus.
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