Houston Methodist has begun site preparation for a 26-story hospital tower in the Texas Medical Center that will house a new and larger emergency department, enhanced imaging services and hundreds of additional hospital beds to serve a growing patient population.

 

 

The $1.4 billion Centennial Tower project – recently approved by the Houston Methodist board of directors – will connect to the Paula and Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter III Tower, which opened in 2018 and houses the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center and the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute.

 

 

“Together, the towers will add an impressive profile to the Texas Medical Center skyline,” said Marc L. Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist. “We are building this for our community, showing our commitment to the future of health care at Houston Methodist as we continue leading medicine for decades to come.”

 

 

Centennial Tower is projected to begin a phased opening starting in 2027. When completed, the tower will house nearly 400 patient beds, which includes 175 new beds and 207 beds to replace those currently in Houston Methodist’s Main building, which ultimately will be demolished along with West Pavilion. Main, opened in two parts in 1951 and 1963, and West Pavilion, opened in 1973, are Houston Methodist’s oldest facilities. Along with replacing existing space for transplant, medicine, intermediate care and surgical intensive care, Centennial Tower also will replace seven operating rooms with the latest technology and add two additional operating room suites and enhanced radiology services.

 

 

The new emergency department will nearly double in size, increasing to 54 patient beds and adding more imaging suites, along with public and staff support areas on the first and second levels of Centennial Tower. The larger and more convenient emergency entrance at John Freeman Boulevard and Bertner Avenue includes pedestrian and ambulance drop-off sites, ambulance bays and easy in-and-out access.

 

 

The 14th floor will include an outdoor rooftop garden complete with trees and landscaping to provide patients, visitors and staff an outdoor respite in the heart of the Texas Medical Center.