U.Va. Medical Center hosts groundbreaking for $394 million expansion

The U.Va. Medical Center in Charlottesville will host a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday, June 8, for a $394 million expansion project.

The project includes a renovated and expanded Emergency Department on the site of the former ground helipad. A larger expanded procedural and recovery space will be built one floor above the existing Emergency Department.

In addition, a six-story tower will be built above the procedural space. Three floors will be used for private inpatient rooms, enabling UVA to convert most of its semi-private rooms into private rooms. The remaining three floors will be unfinished space reserved for future needs of the health system.

The project also includes a rooftop helipad.

According to U.Va Medical Center, the goals behind the expansion are to create a better environment for patients to receive care and to increase the number of patients that can be cared for.

The Emergency Department and procedural space are expected to be complete in early summer 2019. The bed tower is projected for completion by the end of 2019.

Wednesday’s ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. at the ground helipad next to the medical center’s Emergency Department, located at the corner of Lee Street and Crispell Drive.