Developer: Banner Health
General contractor: McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Architect: SmithGroup JJR
Location: 9201 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix
Size: 279KSF
Value: $161M
Start/Completion: August 2012 to April 2015; Tower addition completedin March 2014
Subcontractors: University Mechanical, Wilson Electric, E&K of Phoenix, KT Fabrication, Able Steel

Expansion of the Banner Estrella Medical Center includes a second six-story, 279KSF patient tower, which adds 178 new patient beds to the campus. Within the new patient tower, the lower level through fourth floor will be completely built out, and the fifth and sixth floors will be shelled for future build-out as a patient division allowing the entire facility to ultimately offer the community a total of more than 400 patient beds. As nearly 100,000 patients passed through the Banner Estrella emergency room last year, the hospital was in dire need of a capacity increase. The new tower will contain additional obstetrical suites, additional neonatal intensive care unit capacity, new cardiac catheterization lab, additional medical imaging capabilities and added surgical suites. Approximately 97KSF of renovation is also planned within the existing facility now that the patient tower is occupied. Crews are remodeling the hospital’s existing emergency department, pharmacy, lab, materials management and culinary area. To accommodate the new patient tower, Banner also expanded the central plant. The project also included the construction of two additional parking structures, accommodating approximately 800 spaces for visitor and staff use. The nearly 300KSF project is expected to generate hundreds of construction jobs over three years.