Three years after landing the largest one-time gift ever made to a children's hospital for pediatric research, Children's Mercy is celebrating the grand opening of a new nine-story, 375,000-square-foot building on the Adele Hall Campus.
The $200 million project ranks as one of the area's biggest construction projects, according to a recent Kansas City Business Journal List. It was supported by a pair of $75 million gifts from the Hall Family Foundation and the Sunderland Foundation, which supported not only construction of the tower but recruitment of top researchers to Children's Mercy.
"I'm continuously amazed at the generosity of the Kansas City community. Because of these donors, world-changing discoveries are happening right here in Kansas City, shaping our city's future and the future of pediatric research," Dr. Tom Curran, executive director and chief scientific officer of the Children's Mercy Research Institute, said in a Friday release. "By doing this, we will accelerate the development of medical advances and transform the lives of children around the world."
Check out the attached photo gallery to take a tour of the new Children's Mercy Research Institute headquarters.
According to a November article, the building now supports 280 employees dedicated precisely to this mission. The Kansas City-based nonprofit pediatric hospital system projects this number will grow to 500 people in the next five years, and 1,000 people in eight to 10 years.
The research tower, which was built on an existing parking structure, includes wet and dry lab space as well as administrative and business space. The construction project was led by Kansas City-based general contractor McCownGordon Construction. The tower was designed by Indianapolis-based BSA LifeStructures, which maintains an office in Overland Park.
Other project team members include Topeka mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering company Brack & Associates; Kansas City structural engineering firm Bob D. Campbell & Co.; and Clive, Iowa-based Architectural Wall Systems LLC, a design-assist partner.
Work on the home of Children's Mercy Research Institute, which was established in 2015, was substantially completed in September, the same month the hospital obtained its keys and temporary occupancy license.
Construction cost
| Rank | Prior Rank | Project name |
|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | KCI Terminal Project |
2 | 2 | Paragon Star |
3 | 2 | Children's Mercy Research Institute |