Construction begins on KU Hospital expansion

The University of Kansas Hospital broke ground Monday on its latest campus expansion — a $280 million, seven-story patient center that will add 92 beds.

The planned Cambridge North Tower, at 39th Avenue and Cambridge Street in Kansas City, Kan., will house two of the fastest-growing areas at the hospital — neurosciences and surgical oncology, including ear, nose and throat programs.

The tower, northeast of the existing hospital buildings, also will include 12 operating rooms, and imaging, lab and pharmacy facilities. Of the 92 beds, 28 will be for intensive care patients.

The Cambridge North Tower is part of a broad plan by the hospital to expand and modernize over the coming years to meet growing patient demand.

The hospital has experienced a 30 percent increase in patient volume in the last five years, and neurosciences and surgical oncology services have grown nearly 40 percent during that period, said Bob Page, the hospital’s president and chief executive officer.

“We have had a full hospital with record patient demand for the last three months,” Page said. in a statement. “We need the beds and operating rooms Cambridge North will provide.”

The university launched a $100 million fund-raising campaign for the project in 2014. The effort has raised $36.6 million so far, including a $10 million challenge grant from Kansas City philanthropist Annette Bloch, the hospital said.

Nearly $4 million has been raised toward the challenge grant so far, the hospital said.

The facility is expected to start accepting patients in 2017.

The project is designed by Canon Design; J.E. Dunn Construction is the generator contractor.

This story was originally published March 9, 2015 at 11:13 AM with the headline "Construction begins on KU Hospital expansion."