The Daily Dig
The Walsh-Turner Joint Venture has completed Ohio State's new Wexner Medical Center University Hospital, a $1.5 billion, 26-story tower and the largest single-facility construction project in the university's history.
The 1.9 million square foot building delivers 820 beds, 24 operating rooms including two hybrid neurovascular suites, 200-plus ICU beds, 44 private NICU rooms, and nearly 100 isolation-capable rooms. One full 60-bed floor can convert to a complete isolation unit during a public health emergency.
The scope went beyond the main tower. Construction activities also expanded the adjacent Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital by 148 beds, according to the project team making it the second largest freestanding cancer hospital in the country. A new 60,000 square foot Central Sterile Facility and a 1,900-space garage were delivered as part of the same project scope.
Walsh and Turner broke ground in 2020 on a four-acre site, peaking at 1,200 workers daily. The team installed 15,000 tons of structural steel and ran nearly 1,900 miles of wiring. Area turnover averaged 40 days ahead of schedule, with substantial completion delivered early.
HDR led design. Patient rooms feature 9-by-9-foot windows, and the building includes a 20,000 square foot outdoor terrace, a conservatory, and a 400-seat café.
Project Snapshot:
Project: Wexner Medical Center University Hospital
Owner: The Ohio State University
Joint Venture (GC): Walsh-Turner (Walsh Construction / Turner Construction)
Lead Designer: HDR
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Sector: Healthcare / Academic Medical
Project Value: $1.5 billion
Size: 1.9 million square feet
Stories: 26
Beds: 820
Operating Rooms: 24 (including 2 hybrid neurovascular suites)
ICU Beds: 200+
NICU Rooms: 44 private rooms / 51 bassinets
Isolation Rooms: 100 (plus full 60-bed floor convertibility)
Groundbreaking: 2020
Status: Complete / Ahead of schedule
Peak Workforce: 1,200 workers daily
Structural Steel: 15,000 tons
Wiring: 1,900 miles
Parking: 1,900-space hospital garage
Central Sterile Facility: 60,000 sqft
Cancer Center Expansion: +148 beds - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital
Notable: Largest single-facility project in OSU history
TheJobWalk Thoughts
A $1.5 billion hospital on four acres at 1,200 workers peak, that's an extremely compressed site. Area turnovers averaging 40 days early tells you trade partner scheduling was tight and enforced, not just planned.
The cancer center expansion is easy to miss in the headline numbers, but subs carrying scope across both facilities had real coordination exposure there.
Nevertheless, it’s another big win for Turner and Walsh!
Courtesy of Turner Construction
