Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital

The only thing more difficult than expanding an occupied hospital is expanding it vertically. But Robins & Morton did just that, and in late 2022, they celebrated opening the four-story vertical expansion of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, alongside Memorial Healthcare System.

The three-year project spanned nearly 165,000 square feet and added 72 new patient rooms, two cardiac hybrid operating rooms, two surgical suites and an intraoperative MRI system (IMRIS).

The IMRIS is an especially impressive technology as it is used in spaces that function as both hybrid imaging and operating suites. To install it, Robins & Morton had to completely demolish the existing administration area on the hospital’s second floor and extend the deck by 15 feet. This required a new exterior wall and a large, steel structure to hang the IMRIS from the ceiling.

Building on the hospital’s theme, The Power of Play, the expansion also features several play zones and family support areas with amenities such as a fitness center, spa and family dining area. As a respite space, the fifth floor includes an elevated outdoor terrace for patients and families. With the addition of the four floors, the completed hospital now stands eight stories.

“Healthcare construction is rewarding in that we know, when we leave, there will be more care available to the community,” Robins & Morton Vice President Bruce Adams said. “But there’s something even more special about providing these important upgrades for the care of children.”