MDACC Alkek Patient Care Tower Vertical Expansion
Elevating cancer care treatments
Project Facts
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Owner | MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Size | 471,000 SF |
| Cost | $222 million |
| Status | Completed 2012 |
Overview
The vertical expansion of the MD Anderson Cancer Center added vital space to one of the world’s most extensive cancer treatment facilities. Located in Houston’s thriving medical district, this growing center remains at the forefront of healthcare advancements, offering crucial treatments and therapies for cancer patients.
Services
About the project
Devoted exclusively to cancer patient care, research, education, and prevention, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is the largest freestanding cancer center in the world and has served more than 800,000 patients in its 70-year history. The vertical expansion of the Alkek Tower was critical in allowing them to serve their patients, both in terms of the number of patients and the quality of the care environment, contributing to patient wellness.
The original 12-story tower opened in 1999 in the Texas Medical Center and was designed to accommodate a future vertical expansion of 10 floors. Walter P Moore was the structural engineer for the original building, which holds 261 inpatient and ICU beds, and the 12-floor expansion completed in November 2010.
Exceptional creativity and ingenuity in structural engineering and close collaboration with MD Anderson and the design/build team made the Alkek Patient Care Tower Expansion successful. The team ensured there was no interruption of patient care or operations and mitigated the impact of the construction on patients and sensitive equipment in the building. The capacity of the existing structure was more than doubled, and it added four more beds per floor than originally conceived while completing the project three weeks ahead of schedule and within budget.
