Brasfield & Gorrie Celebrates Construction Milestone for Children’s of Mississippi Expansion

General contractor Brasfield & Gorrie and the University of Mississippi Medical Center recently celebrated the topping out of the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children expansion. The milestone marks the completion of the building’s framework.

“The project will allow UMMC to care for many more patients,” said Brasfield & Gorrie Vice President and Division Manager Ed Hauser. “We are honored to play a role in expanding healthcare coverage for Mississippi families.”

The seven-story, 355,303 sq ft tower is being built adjacent to the existing hospital. The new structure will house a neonatal intensive care unit with private rooms, private pediatric intensive care rooms, surgical suites, an imaging center designed for children and an outpatient specialty clinic. The building will also house the Children’s Heart Center.

The new tower and its components will accommodate 30-40 percent more outpatient treatments, 40 percent more surgeries, and double the access to imaging services, according to Guy Giesecke, CEO of Children’s of Mississippi, the umbrella organization that includes Batson Children’s Hospital and all UMMC pediatric care. The addition will also provide an improved overall environment and less waiting time for patients.

During the topping out ceremony, Brasfield & Gorrie CEO Jim Gorrie noted the impact of the hospital, which is the largest construction project underway in Mississippi. More than 90 percent of the project’s work to date has been performed by local contractors, he said.

The tower is scheduled for completion in fall 2020. An adjacent five-level, 517-space parking garage is expected to be completed in summer 2020. Brasfield & Gorrie is also building the parking garage.

Brasfield & Gorrie’s Jackson, Mississippi, office is managing the construction project. The general contractor has completed numerous prominent projects in the state, including the new Westin Jackson and the recently completed District at Eastover mixed-use urban revitalization development in the heart of downtown Jackson. The contractor is ranked No. 1 nationally among top general contracting companies in healthcare construction by Modern Healthcare magazine, based on 2018 revenues.