St. David’s South Austin Medical Center to break ground on $180 million patient tower to meet growing healthcare needs

Austin, Texas — St. David’s South Austin Medical Center is set to embark on a $180 million expansion that includes a new four-story patient tower, significantly enhancing its ability to meet the growing healthcare needs of the South Austin community. Construction on critical infrastructure to support the tower will begin on March 2, with construction on the tower itself beginning later this year.

The new tower will feature a 30-bed patient care unit, a 20-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit, enhanced surgical services with four new operating rooms, shell space for future operating rooms, a seven-bay post-anesthesia care unit, an eight-bed pre/post-surgical unit and a lobby/waiting area, expanded main lobby and registration areas, and a pre-admit testing suite. It will also include a new utility powerhouse for electrical and mechanical support, a sterile processing department and shell space for future development.

“As South Austin continues to grow, we’re responding with an investment that expands access to surgical, rehabilitation and inpatient care, while strengthening the infrastructure that supports our clinical teams,” Charles Laird, chief executive officer of St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, said. “Every detail of this project — from added operating rooms to a new inpatient rehabilitation unit — designed to ensure we can continue delivering the highest level of care to our community for years to come.”

During construction, the hospital’s main entrance, as well as the emergency department entrance, will remain open for patients and visitors. Some parking areas have been blocked off to prepare for construction.