Children's Hospital New Orleans Celebrates the Completion of its 4-year, $300 Million Campus Expansion, Changing the Dynamics of Pediatric Healthcare for Children and Families Across the Region

NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Hospital New Orleans, along with its donors, community supporters, medical school partners, staff, and providers, recently celebrated the Grand Opening of the hospital's expanded campus, as its $300 million campus transformation reaches completion.

The Grand Opening event included a formal outdoor program with Louisiana Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser and New Orleans Councilmember Joe Giarrusso participating in the morning's events. Following the program, guests enjoyed an outdoor celebration with on-site activations, refreshments, and guided tours of the hospital.

"Today, we celebrate the completion of the $300 million transformation of our campus, an unprecedented investment in child health for Louisiana and the Gulf South," said John R. Nickens IV, President and CEO of Children's Hospital New Orleans. "What's most exciting is what this new day means for the children and families we serve. Together, with our academic partners at LSU Health New Orleans and Tulane University School of Medicine, we are poised to take on the health challenges our kids and communities are facing by offering the highest level of pediatric care, right here in Louisiana." 

In 2017, Children's Hospital broke ground on the most significant expansion project in the hospital's history. The campus transformation effort brings together infrastructure, technology, and unmatched expertise to deliver a healthier, happier future for Louisiana's children. 

The expanded campus includes 230,000+ square feet of new clinical care space, enabling the growth of signature services including heart care, cancer care, surgical and emergency services, along with a new, free-standing Behavioral Health Center. Enhanced by family housing, gardens, playgrounds, and green space, Children's Hospital's expanded campus delivers unmatched patient and family-centered care, with an extraordinary experience.

"Since its founding in 1955, Children's Hospital New Orleans has been the regional medical center for kids in Louisiana and the Gulf South," said Dr. Stephen W. Hales, Board Chair, Children's Hospital New Orleans. "In 2017, we embarked on a transformational campus expansion, the shared vision of the Children's Hospital Board of Trustees, LCMC Health, and Children's Hospital leadership. This vision has delivered innovative spaces that now match the level of care that Children's Hospital is known for. It is powerful to see this multi-year investment come to fruition today as we mark the beginning of a healthier future for Louisiana's children."

The hospital's architects at EYP and construction partners at Lemoine were integral to the campus expansion effort. EYP took an incredibly complex concept and developed that into an exceptional master plan, inspired by the healing power of nature and music, that poises Children's Hospital for its next chapter. This came with careful planning, a robust understanding of pediatric healthcare, and incredible collaboration.

Lemoine led the 1,400+ day construction effort, with more than 3,500 professionals working throughout the project. While expanding the hospital's footprint by more than 50%, the construction team kept quality, safety, and excellence at the forefront while the hospital continued to provide expert care for kids without interruption. 

With the generous support of community leaders like Betty Lauricella, The Goldring Family and Woldenberg Foundations, Steve and Patty Worley, the Harry T. Howard Foundation, Fore!Kids Foundation, and corporate partners like Walmart and Marriott, just to name a few, Children's Hospital's vision was amplified. Donor have been a vital part of allowing Children's to continue its mission, with nearly $40 million raised for the hospital's capital campaign, Extraordinary Together.

"We move in to the future full of hope, determination, and an unwavering commitment to advance the health and wellbeing of all children," says Nickens. "That has been the DNA of Children's Hospital New Orleans since the beginning."

Learn more about Children's Hospital's transformed campus by visiting chnola.org.

About Children's Hospital New Orleans
Children's Hospital is a 222-bed, non-profit academic pediatric medical center that offers comprehensive healthcare services, including over 40 pediatric specialties, delivered just for children. With more than 400 physicians trained in more than 40 pediatric sub-specialties, Children's offers a comprehensive array of pediatric healthcare services in Louisiana and the Gulf South. In addition to its main campus located in New Orleans, the hospital operates a network of specialty clinics across Louisiana, including in Covington, Baton Rouge, Alexandria, and Lafayette. Children's offers primary care services at 13 convenient locations and remotely via its Virtual Care for kids program. Children's is a proud member of LCMC Health, a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system which also includes New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans, West Jefferson Medical Center, and East Jefferson General Hospital. Learn more at chnola.org

 MEDIA RESOURCES:
IMAGES FROM GRAND OPENING EVENT --  HERE 
B-ROLL/VIDEO FROM GRAND OPENING EVENT -- HERE 
IMAGES OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL NEW ORLEANS CAMPUS TRANSFORMATION -- HERE 
MEDIA KIT For CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL NEW ORLEANS CAMPUS TRANSFORMATION --  HERE

SOURCE LCMC Health; Children’s Hospital New Orleans

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