Florida Construction News staff writer
Baptist Health has begun construction on a four-storey, 123,000-sq. ft. emergency and patient tower at its flagship campus shared by Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville and Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
The McGehee Family Tower will expand the hospital’s emergency and inpatient capacity while incorporating modern design features aimed at improving workflow and patient experience.
Legacy Engineering Inc. is the project’s general contractor. Architectural design is being led by Hoefer Welker, with civil engineering provided by England-Thims & Miller Inc. The tower is being developed by Southern Baptist Hospital of Florida Inc.
The tower will feature two separate emergency centres—one for adults and one for children—with 100 patient rooms, including three pediatric trauma rooms. The first phase also includes dedicated imaging, laboratory and ancillary spaces to support emergency and trauma services, a new endoscopy suite, and shell space for future cardiac procedure rooms. Plans call for a future expansion adding 68 inpatient rooms on the third and fourth floors.
Construction of the tower, named in honor of philanthropists Debbie and Sutton McGehee Jr., is expected to be completed in phases, with the full project slated for 2029. The design emphasizes both clinical efficiency and patient comfort, with an upgraded emergency entrance and dedicated drop-off area to streamline arrivals.
Michael A. Mayo, president and CEO of Baptist Health, said the project reflects the system’s commitment to enhancing care for adults and children while improving operational efficiency. “This tower has been designed from the ground up to support our care teams and provide a better experience for patients and families,” he said.
The McGehee Family Tower represents a major expansion for Jacksonville’s largest emergency care provider and will support a wide range of services, including stroke, chest pain, behavioural health crises, pediatric trauma and complex illnesses.
