Three major UIHC projects heading to Regents for approval

Three major projects for University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics will go to the state Board of Regents for various approvals next week.

UI officials will present design and budget plans for the nearly $271 million Children's Hospital tower project to the regents next week in Iowa City.

The Children's Hospital will accommodate 140 replacement and new acute and intensive care pediatric beds. Another 55 pediatric beds will continue to function in UIHC's existing Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which will be physically linked to 28 additional NICU beds in the new Children's Hospital, according to plans released in the regents meeting information today.

The Children's Hospital will be built to the north of the Pomerantz Pavilion and to the south of Hospital Parking Ramp No. 2, and to the west and connecting to the Pappajohn Pavilion.

Total pediatric inpatient admissions have grown by nearly 20 percent over the past five years, officials said. Most pediatric specialty services are projected to increase by 2 percent to 4 percent annually over the next three years.

UI leaders expect to raise $50 million privately for the Children's Hospital project, with naming opportunities available. The tower is scheduled for completion in 2015.

To see drawings of the proposed Children's Hospital tower, go to the attached document below and view pages 41-44.

The regents next week also will consider approval to proceed with planning on two other UI Hospitals and Clinics project: a planned $14.6 million Family Medicine Center to be built at the UI's Hawkeye Campus, and a planned $6 million Community-Based Primary Care Clinic to be built in North Liberty, where the UI recently purchased 40 undeveloped acres at the southwest corner of Highway 965 and Forevergreen Road.