The largest single addition to the UNC Hospitals campus in Chapel Hill is now officially operating.
The North Carolina Surgical Tower, which is part of the UNC Health system, saw its staff perform their first surgeries in the building on Monday and officially welcomed inpatient arrivals on Tuesday. The seven-story and 375,000 square foot facility represents a transformative addition to the hospital campus, with the latest project of this size being the original North Carolina Memorial Hospital that opened in 1952.
Built on the footprint of two former parking sites for the hospital, the North Carolina Surgical Tower first broke ground in 2019 and represents a $425 million buildout to offer some of the most advanced surgical care with cutting-edge resources. All surgical operations will shift to the facility, which will also take on some of the UNC Health campus’ critical care services. The surgical tower will be the workplace for roughly 500 people, which added 100 jobs to the hospital’s workforce.
“The heart of this new facility are the teammates who will work here – the nurses, surgeons, anesthesiologists and many others – and the skill and compassion that they bring to each interaction with their patients,” said Dr. Wesley Burks, CEO of UNC Health and Dean of the UNC School of Medicine. “I’m excited for our providers to have more space and the modern tools needed to stay at the forefront of care. I’m equally excited for patients to be cared for and recover in a space designed to be as healing as possible.”
The North Carolina Surgical Tower, at 101 Manning Drive in Chapel Hill. (Photo via UNC Health.)
The UNC Health system held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for stakeholders of the project during April after its extensive construction. The tower’s opening was briefly delayed this summer after a burst water pipe damaged part of its backup electrical system. According to Alan Wolf, the director of news for UNC Health, the backup system is now fully repaired and working smoothly.
“After more than 5 years of building toward this moment,” President of UNC Hospitals Janet Hadar, “I continue to be so thankful for our medical staff and teammates. Their dedication to patients and each other has well-positioned us for this exciting moment. What a privilege to extend the expert, Carolina Care we believe every North Carolinian deserves in a facility that supports our care teams, our patients and their loved ones.”
Some of the highlights of the new facility are 26 advanced surgical suites, 59 pre- and post-operative suites, 80 ICU beds and 15 observation beds — all increases compared to the prior areas, and most which have a larger space than the prior rooms. There are also rooms and floors with North Carolina scenery and themes to accentuate the state’s beauty and facility’s service to all residents. The goal of the design, according to UNC Health leadership, is to create a “sense of peace and respite” for patients and their families during some of the more difficult periods of their lives — while complimenting their staff’s talent.
Patients from across North Carolina will be referred to the new surgical tower by their providers. More information about the North Carolina Surgical Tower can be found on the UNC Health website.
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