The Walsh Construction and Turner Construction Company joint venture has completed construction of the $1.5 billion University Hospital at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, marking the largest single-facility construction project in the university’s history.
The new 26-story, 1.9-million-square-foot medical tower significantly expands the institution’s capacity for advanced clinical care, medical research, and healthcare education.
Expanding advanced healthcare capacity
The new hospital tower includes 820 patient beds and a wide range of modern diagnostic and treatment facilities designed to support complex medical procedures and critical care services.
Key clinical features include:
• 24 state-of-the-art operating rooms, including two hybrid neurovascular suites, integrating world-class imaging and surgical capabilities for highly complex procedures.
• Over 200 intensive care beds.
• 44 private neonatal intensive care (NICU) rooms and 51 NICU bassinets.
• Nearly 100 isolation-infection rooms, with the capacity to convert an entire 60-bed floor into a full isolation unit during public health emergencies.
As part of the University Hospital project, construction activities also delivered significant benefits to the neighboring Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. Renovations and infrastructure upgrades expanded the cancer hospital’s capacity by 148 beds, making it the nation’s second-largest freestanding cancer hospital.
In addition, a new 60,000-square-foot Central Sterile Facility was constructed to support the University Hospital and surrounding Ohio State University healthcare facilities. A new 1,900-space hospital garage also improves access for staff and visitors.
Advanced Technology and Integrated Learning
The hospital utilizes integrated technology to enhance the patient experience and streamline communication. Every inpatient room is equipped with a 75-inch screen, allowing patients to access entertainment, engage in telehealth visits, and view the names and roles of their care team members. Monitoring systems are equipped in each room to assist staff in observing patients.
The facility also supports Ohio State’s educational mission by integrating students and multidisciplinary care teams directly into clinical areas. This layout includes expanded team workrooms for instruction and case reviews, ensuring that the next generation of healthcare professionals is trained in a collaborative, high-efficiency environment.
Enhanced Amenities and Design
Beyond clinical care, the hospital focuses on the well-being of visitors, patients, and staff through thoughtfully designed spaces by lead designer HDR:
• 9-foot-by-9-foot windows allowing for an abundance of natural light in each patient room, throughout hallways and in common spaces,
• 20,000-square-foot outdoor terrace with mature landscaping
• Sunlit conservatory and a sanctuary for spiritual reflection.
• 400-seat Terrace Café along with two coffee shops, a gift shop, and a retail pharmacy.
• 50 elevators and a two-story escalator, featuring a dedicated “baby button” for immediate access to the labor and delivery unit from the lobby.
Project Delivery Excellence
The Walsh–Turner team broke ground on the project in 2020, managing a complex construction process on a four-acre site. At the peak of activity, the joint venture coordinated 1,200 workers daily, resulting in the installation of 15,000 tons of structural steel and nearly 1,900 miles of wiring. The project’s scale and complexity required a unified and coordinated approach. From the outset, the Walsh–Turner team embraced a highly integrated project environment that enabled efficient problem-solving, transparent communication, and disciplined execution. Walsh-Turner turned over areas of the hospital an average of 40 days early and achieved substantial completion ahead of schedule.
“Walsh Construction is incredibly proud to have partnered with Turner Construction and The Ohio State University to deliver this world-class medical facility,” said Tom Caplis, Senior Vice President of Healthcare at Walsh Construction. “From the outset, our focus has been on precision, safety, and a shared commitment to expanding access to advanced healthcare. Achieving substantial completion ahead of schedule reflects the strength, expertise, and leadership of our joint venture, and we are proud to see this vision for a healthier future realized.”
“We are honored to deliver this transformative facility for Ohio State,” said Nigel Carter, Vice President & Construction Executive at Turner Construction Company. “The scale and complexity of this project required extraordinary alignment across the entire team. Their collaboration, discipline, and dedication established a new benchmark for how major healthcare projects can be delivered. We are deeply grateful to our joint-venture partner Walsh, to The Ohio State University, and to all of our trade partners and stakeholders whose trust, expertise, and commitment made this achievement possible.”
