ATLANTA—McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. has announced the completion of new cardiovascular care facilities at Emory University Hospital (EUH). Located on the third and fourth floors of the EUH Tower, the facility was a result of an $87.7 million investment from Emory Healthcare, breaking ground in October 2023 to expand and enhance operations for Emory Heart & Vascular’s growing patient population. The newly completed third-floor space welcomed its first patients on March 19. Additional project partners include BDR Partners as the program manager, Haskell Company as the architect and WSP as the engineering consultant.

The 80,000-square-foot facility now houses a 16-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit that reinforces patient-centered experiences and facilitates more streamlined collaboration across Emory Heart & Vascular’s specialized care teams. The world-class facility includes a new suite of cardiovascular and thoracic operating rooms, a robotic surgical room housing Emory’s Davinci Xi robot, and catheterization and electrophysiology laboratories – all fitted with state-of-the-art technology and the latest in medical equipment. The new robotic surgery room allows for more precise procedures using smaller incisions, which ensures safer surgeries and quicker patient recovery times. More details on the many exciting features of the new space can be found in the Emory News Center story here.

“This project represents another successful collaboration with the Emory Healthcare team and we are honored to have played a part in enhancing the hospital’s position as a future-focused facility with national recognition,” said Bobby Campbell, executive vice president at McCarthy Building Companies. “Working within an active hospital setting poses many challenges, but McCarthy ensured minimal disruption to hospital operations throughout all phases of construction. Our strategic approach was focused on providing an excellent product while supporting Emory’s best-in-class patient experience.”

“This reimagined space will greatly enhance the patient experience and provide an outstanding environment for our team members to deliver care,” Emory Healthcare CEO Joon Lee, MD, who is also a cardiologist, said in a statement from Emory. “For years, Emory Heart & Vascular has been considered a regional and national leader in cardiology interventions, treatments and procedures. With this expanded space, we are excited to bring Emory-level care to even more members of our community.”

In addition to the inherent challenges of working within a bustling hospital environment, McCarthy faced additional hurdles concerning the surrounding floors. The task at hand involved installing four new air handling units and two chillers, requiring extensive coordination to navigate road closures, reroute buses for equipment delivery and work around existing ductwork. Through meticulous planning and seamless teamwork across all phases – from initial planning to construction and turnover – McCarthy was able to overcome these obstacles, ensuring successful completion of the project.

“These new heart and vascular facilities will allow us to greatly enhance patient care, grow procedural capacity and access, and continue to foster innovation and excellence across the whole service line,” Angel Leon, MD, executive director of Emory Heart & Vascular, said in a statement. “I could not be prouder of our team at this moment.”

McCarthy and Emory Healthcare’s partnership began in 2012 when McCarthy was contracted to build the Emory University Hospital Tower, a $253 million and 450,000-square-foot project. The hospital tower houses several departments and services, including radiology, pharmacy, oncology, dialysis, intensive care unit and bone marrow transplant. The tower was completed in 2018 – and was awarded a LEED Silver certification and won the ENR Regional award for Best Healthcare Project. Emory University Hospital is among 10 hospitals affiliated within the Emory Healthcare system, headquartered in Atlanta.

McCarthy is one of the Southeast’s leading healthcare builders, completing more than 60 healthcare projects in the southern region in the past five years.

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ATLANTA — Stantec recently announced the debut of the Emory Proton Therapy Center — the first treatment facility of its kind to open in Georgia that provides advanced cancer care to patients in the region.

Working alongside Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and the center’s owner, Provident Resources Group, Stantec led the architectural design of the new 115,000-square-foot, three-story center with engineering partners Bard, Rao + Athanas Consulting Engineers and Goldstein-Milano Structural Engineers.

The state-of-the-art center features a 90-ton cyclotron that generates proton particles and four, 240-ton gantries that rotate 360 degrees around the patient to precisely aim the proton beam at a tumor.

The treatment center includes five treatment rooms with the ability to provide proton beam therapy to up to 1,700 patients, including children, annually.

The building’s design takes inspiration from the local cityscape while also ensuring a peaceful retreat for patients; with design features including a generous courtyard lined with a vertical garden as well as a palette that fuses natural colors and textures with its wooden panels.

Furthermore, dashes of bright color reinforce an uplifting atmosphere while providing wayfinding for patients and staff.

The designers also emphasized the significance of considering the comfort of its pediatric population by including family-friendly elements such as a designated family waiting room in the main lobby, a unique playhouse and a layout that allows parents to accompany children through treatment.

Additionally, a 20,000-square-foot retail space holds a 200-car parking garage, creating opportunities for new community offerings in the neighborhood.

The sand and charcoal exterior is also punctuated by generous expanses of glass to help to reinforce the building’s integration with the cityscape.

Standing as a project seven years in the making, the newly completed facility aims to strengthen city of Atlanta’s position as a center for biomedical innovation and advanced cancer care.

“As a facility treating patients of all ages, our team paid particular attention to the comfort of the pediatric population in the design of the Emory Proton Center,” said Paula Williams, a principal at Stantec. “The design includes a dedicated family waiting room in the main lobby, along with a unique playhouse to help these young patients find some comfort. The center’s layout has also been carefully considered to allow parents to accompany children through the clinical and treatment journey.”

According to Emory University, proton therapy is a painless and non-invasive form of external beam radiation that can be used in the successful treatment of patients with a variety of types of cancer and benign tumors.

With this new center, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University adds a powerful radiation therapy option to its broad array of cancer-fighting tools. The center will help strengthen Winship’s emergence as a national leader in cancer research and care.

“We are thrilled to begin offering proton therapy treatment to patients in the state of Georgia,” said Winship Cancer Institute Executive Director Walter J. Curran, Jr., MD. “The new center will provide an array of new therapeutic opportunities for our patients close to their home.”

The Emory Proton Center officially opened its doors on Dec. 6, 2018 in Midtown Atlanta with a VIP ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Emory University President Claire E. Sterk, and Atlanta Braves Vice Chair Emeritus John Schuerholz were among the dignitaries who celebrated the opening and delivered remarks to more than 200 special guests.

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