Children's Health and UT Southwestern Break Ground on New Dallas Pediatric Campus; Announce $100 Million Donation from The Rees-Jones Foundation

Groundbreaking and donation for the $5 billion campus marks new era of transformative pediatric care in North Texas and beyond 

DALLAS, Oct. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Health^SM and UT Southwestern Medical Center broke ground today on a $5 billion pediatric health campus to replace the existing Children's Medical Center Dallas. The new campus will encompass more than 4.7 million square feet of construction, including a new pediatric hospital as its centerpiece. The hospital, comprised of two 12-story towers and an 8-story tower, along with the broader care site, will significantly expand inpatient, surgical, and ambulatory capacity to meet the needs of one of the fastest-growing and largest metropolitan areas in the country. The new Dallas pediatric campus will be located on the corner of Harry Hines Boulevard and Paul Bass Way, across from UTSW's William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital.

"For more than 110 years Children's Health, together with our 60-year partners at UT Southwestern, have sought to provide the best care available to the families of North Texas. Today, as we prepare for the tremendous growth in the area's pediatric population, through this new pediatric campus we are reaffirming our promise that every child in this community will have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, no matter the challenges they face," said Christopher Durovich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Children's Health. "This new Dallas campus will be a beacon of hope and healing for our children today – and for generations to come."

As North Texas experiences unprecedented growth, and with the pediatric population expected to double by 2050, there is an urgent demand for advanced pediatric health care. To meet those needs, Children's Health and UT Southwestern announced plans for the new pediatric campus in February 2024. The project will expand access to a full range of pediatric services from routine care to complex treatments, creating a one-of-a-kind hub for academic research, training, and the development of life-saving technologies.

"Today marks an important milestone for UT Southwestern and our longstanding partner Children's Health, as we endeavor to set a new standard for excellence in pediatric health care, education, and research," said Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., President of UT Southwestern. "This transformative project follows years of careful consideration and collaboration, and it positions us to more effectively meet the needs of our growing community and provide the best environment possible for the care of pediatric patients and support of their families."

Designed exclusively for pediatric patients and families, highlights of the new campus include:

• 552 beds, additional operating rooms, and an enhanced Level I pediatric trauma center with 90 emergency department exam rooms and 24 observation rooms
• New fetal care center for complex maternal and fetal health with direct access via a connector bridge to William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital
• More than 20 acres of green space, including Pogue Park, walking trails, healing views from patient rooms, and an open courtyard
• Thoughtfully designed private patient rooms that prioritize the comfort of children and their families, equipped with customizable lighting, sleeping arrangements for caregivers, advanced technology and floor-to-ceiling windows creating a strong connection to the outdoors to enhance the overall experience
• Eight rehabilitation and therapy gyms for patient families – even for those who are immunocompromised
• 13 playrooms designed for different ages and interests
• Two retail pharmacies, a juice and smoothie bar, three coffee shops and a food hall

A milestone gift from The Rees-Jones Foundation
A $100 million gift from The Rees-Jones Foundation to support the construction of the new pediatric campus marks the first time in Texas that a not-for-profit construction project has received two individual leadership gifts of $100 million. A $100 million gift from the Jean and Mack Pogue family was also announced in May. At the groundbreaking ceremony, Troy Aikman and Dirk Nowitzki, both champion athletes and champions for children, joined in the historic gift announcement.

To publicly recognize The Rees-Jones Foundation gift, the central hospital tower at the new Dallas pediatric campus will be named Rees-Jones Tower. In addition to patient rooms and unique amenities, Rees-Jones Tower will serve as the main hospital entrance and house the lobby and welcome areas for patients and their families. 

"We are grateful for our strong relationship with Children's Health and UT Southwestern, two organizations that align with our interest in providing quality medical care to those in our community most in need, particularly our children and youth suffering from various medical conditions," said Jan Rees-Jones. "Our family is thankful to be involved in building the new Dallas pediatric hospital and campus, a facility that will change lives both in our community and around the world." 

Founded in 2006 by Jan and Trevor Rees-Jones, The Rees-Jones Foundation is a private foundation that works with nonprofit organizations in North Texas, Africa and India to serve others and improve their quality of life in tangible ways. The Rees-Jones Foundation has been a longtime supporter of Children's Health, establishing the Rees-Jones Center for Foster Care Excellence in 2012 as the only clinic in North Texas to treat the unique physical and emotional needs of children and youth who have experience with the child welfare system. Previous donations from The Rees-Jones Foundation to Children's Health in support of the Center have exceeded $35 million, providing care and services to more than 2,000 children annually.

The Rees-Jones Foundation has also given more than $10 million to UT Southwestern since 2016 to support programs aimed at identifying risk for depression and mood disorders in youth and building mental health resilience. 

"Community support is vital to the creation of this epic new pediatric campus in Dallas," said Brent Christopher, President of Children's Medical Center Foundation. "It's impossible to fully express our gratitude to the Rees-Jones family, both for the example they set and for their overwhelming generosity. Their contributions make the whole community stronger, which will be felt by more kids and families than we can possibly imagine." 

To learn more about the new pediatric campus, please visit childrens.com/watchusgrow and www.utsouthwestern.edu.  

For assets and resources for this announcement, please use this downloadable media kit.

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About Children's Health  
Children's Health℠ is the leading pediatric health care system in North Texas and has long been recognized as a leader in pediatric health. Children's Health campuses include Children's Medical Center Dallas, Children's Medical Center Plano, and multiple Children's Health Specialty Centers. With its academic partner, UT Southwestern, Children's Medical Center Dallas is consistently ranked the #1 children's hospital in North Texas and among the nation's best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. Its commitment to excellence and providing outstanding care across all aspects of pediatrics has resulted in 10 out of 10 specialty programs being ranked among the best for six consecutive years, including Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Neonatology, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology, and Urology.  

In addition, Children's Health nurses have received the Magnet® designation for the past 14 years, the highest honor for nursing excellence, and it has been named 2023 top places to work by The Dallas Morning News and Energage, best place to work by the Dallas Business Journal, and one of the 150 Best Places to Work in Healthcare by Becker's Hospital Review for 10 consecutive years.   

For more information and to support Children's Health, visit Childrens.com or by liking us on Facebook, follow Children's Health on X, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn, and subscribe to its YouTube channel. 

About Children's Medical Center Foundation
As the fundraising arm for Children's Health℠, one of the largest and most prestigious nonprofit pediatric health systems in North Texas, the Children's Medical Center Foundation provides philanthropic support through partnerships with individual donors, organizations, and corporations. 

These funds support Children's Health with the enhancement of care, discovery of cures, and building a healthier community across all Children's Health campuses to fulfill the mission to make life better for children. All contributions to Children's Medical Center Foundation directly support patients and their families, ensuring the best experience, best care, and ultimately a fighting chance to get back to being a kid again. 

To learn more, visit give.childrens.com. 

About UT Southwestern Medical Center   
UT Southwestern, one of the nation's premier academic medical centers, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution's faculty members have received six Nobel Prizes and include 25 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 22 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The full-time faculty of more than 3,200 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in more than 80 specialties to more than 120,000 hospitalized patients, more than 360,000 emergency room cases, and oversee nearly 5 million outpatient visits a year.

Children's Health Media Contact:
Virginia Hock
214-537-2974
[email protected] 

UT Southwestern Media Contact:
Russell Rian
[email protected] 

SOURCE Children’s Health