Photo courtesy Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU
A new pediatric facility is giving rise to improved and expanded health care. Breaking ground in 2019, the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU’s new tower is in the final stages of construction and is set to open on April 30. The 16-story, 500,000-square-foot building comprises an entire city block and is designed to consolidate pediatric care by connecting to the outpatient Children’s Pavilion (which opened in 2016) and housing emergency, trauma and inpatient care. It features 72 private rooms, an emergency department, helipad, expanded child life services, family amenities, additional operating rooms and imaging services. Located on Marshall Street between 10th and 11th streets, the $400 million project was playfully nicknamed the “Wonder Tower” during a fundraising campaign highlighting the creativity and imagination of children, who influenced design elements throughout the facility. Here’s a look inside the Children’s Tower.
Vivid colors are used throughout the facility, creating a more inviting and comfortable space for children and their families. Amenities such as playrooms, teen spaces and family lounges are on each floor except the intensive care unit. This playroom on the 12th level is one of four to accommodate bone marrow transplant patients and epilepsy monitoring unit patients, who require a separate space due to health and safety precautions. “Part of taking care of children is taking care of their development,” says Tracy Lowerre, a pediatric nurse clinician at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond and clinical liaison for the Children’s Tower. “Some stay for way longer than what we prefer and so we need to meet all of their needs.” (Photo by Jay Paul)
Each level of the tower incorporates a design element drawn from nature, as well as a James River-inspired animal mascot for each floor. The blue jay pictured here is on the first level and is paired with some quick facts about the bird; other mascots include a turtle, dragonfly and fox. The bold colors of the walls are different on each level so it’s easier for children to identify their room by noting that it’s on the green floor or the blue level, etc. Fun fact: The height of the tower is equivalent to 13 giraffes. (Photo by Jay Paul)
Equipped with seating for about 75, the cafeteria will offer a hot and cold line, brick-oven pizza options and grab-and-go items. Families are welcome to use the space, and patients can also request kid-friendly meals in their rooms. Lowerre says the tower will provide healthy vending fare, such as sandwiches and salads, for health-care workers on the night shift. The cafeteria will stay open for early evening diners, so later-shift team members have the opportunity to stop in for a meal prior to its closure. For parents who want to stay close to their child’s unit, lounges on each floor are equipped with amenities, including a refrigerator, ice machine and coffeemaker, and snacks are also available via Ronald McDonald House Charities of Richmond. (Photo by Jay Paul)
The pediatric trauma bay is intended to support two patients at a time, but it’s designed with flexible monitoring capabilities to be able to serve multiple patients in the event of an emergency. “It would be tight, but we can do that,” Lowerre says. (Photo by Jay Paul)
Seen from below via the cafeteria and above from the main entrance Sky Lobby, this artistic display is one of many colorful elements incorporated into the building’s design. Murals (including a mural series created by Richmond-based artist Matt Lively), an indoor children’s garden and areas that offer views of the city are all designed to be mood-boosters to ease the stress of a hospital stay for patients and their families. The layout of the building is centered around meeting the needs of children and creating a space conducive to healing. Jeniece Roane, a pediatric registered nurse and chief nursing officer and vice president of operations at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond, notes that the new tower is also a benefit for VCU Health employees. “The children are at the center of everything we do, and for a long time we haven’t had an environment that really supports and is reflective of the great care that the children get from our teams,” she says. “So, to be able to do that, it really is an honor.” (Photo by Jay Paul)
