The team of Skanska USA Building and Gates Construction began working on the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida project when the design was in schematics and the cost estimate was already $34 million over Lee Health’s budget. Working with designers and the owner from design development to construction documents, the contractors were able to bring the project under budget in time to meet the schedule.

The resulting $144-million project delivered a 293,000-sq-ft, seven-story patient tower, 74,000 sq ft of renovations to the existing facility and campus site improvements. Designed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane, the seven-story children’s pavilion provides a dedicated entry for the Children’s Hospital while incorporating both clinical and educational functions. The pavilion provides space for 160 beds, although 20% of those have been built as shelled space to allow for future growth.

For the renovation work, contractors relocated the existing catheterization laboratories and consolidated surgical services to the third floor, including the build-out of four shelled operating rooms. Crews also relocated and expanded the magnetic resonance imaging and pediatric sedation unit.

The project also included a new parking structure, reconfiguration of site access roads and underground utilities, additional surface parking and expansion of the existing central energy plant.