Atrium Health breaks ground on advanced care center

ATRIUM HEALTH

An artist's rendering of Atrium Health's advanced care center in Charlotte. Ground was broken July 12 on the 12-story facility, which is scheduled for completion in 2027.

Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center has broken ground on a 12-story, state-of-the-art advanced care center.

The 1.1 million square-foot facility near uptown, scheduled to open in 2027, is an ongoing renovation and upgrade of Atrium Health’s facilities and capabilities at the site.

“With acute care beds, operating rooms and an emergency department within its walls, a first-time mother will give birth to a healthy baby girl, a grandfather will undergo cutting-edge surgery and a neighbor will receive emergency care at a moment’s notice,” said Ken Haynes, president of the Southeast region of Advocate Health, which Atrium Health is a part of. “I’m sure our founders of Carolinas Medical Center would be very proud to see all that we have accomplished in fulfilling their dream of providing the highest level of care for all in the greater Charlotte community.”

In 1940, Carolinas Medical Center first opened its doors, known as Charlotte Memorial Hospital. Over the years, it has evolved and is now the largest hospital in the region.

The new facility is expected to offer 448 patient rooms, 38 operating rooms, 16 procedure rooms, an emergency department with 62 exam rooms, and a new helipad.

The new surgical suites will provide space for medical teams to maneuver and support a range of specialized procedures and technology innovation integration. A new emergency department will increase the speed of care with an optimized flow.

More than 30% of the project’s capital spending is aimed at women, minority-owned, veteran-owned construction partners.

The groundbreaking took place July 12 on campus grounds, adjacent to the hospital’s current primary bed tower — The Rush S. Dickson Tower, where the former Carolinas Rehabilitation facility and Blythe Road parking deck once stood. Once it is complete, the new center will connect with both the Dickson tower and David L. Conlan Center — which opened in January, replacing the previous rehabilitation location.

The Carolinas Medical Center expansion is one component of Atrium Health’s master plan for local-area growth. In 2018, the company announced plans for more than $1 billion in capital expenditure investment.

 In recent months, the hospital system has broken ground on:

• Atrium Health Lake Norman hospital in Cornelius

• The Palmetto Tower at Atrium Health Pineville

• Atrium Health Union West hospital and an adjacent medical office building

• The Atrium Health Mountain Island free-standing emergency department and the David L. Conlan at Atrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation

“This new expansion to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center will tremendously improve both the patient and caregiver experience inside its walls,” said Dr. Dan Handel, vice president and chief medical officer for Atrium Health’s central area. “Equipped with the latest, state-of-the-art technology, patients and providers will re-discover why Atrium Health is the best place to give and to receive high-quality care for years to come.”  

Aaliyah Bowden, who covers health at The Post, is a Report For America corps member.

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