Two children pose for a photo with Nutzy, the mascot for The Flying Squirrels, in the new Children’s Tower.

Unlike Any Other

The new Children’s Tower enhances Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU

The new centerpiece of the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU celebrated with grand opening events on March 28, 2023.

This :30 TV spot shows that there is a new home for exceptional medical care in Richmond: The 16-story Children’s Tower.

It’s finally here — the long-awaited Children’s Tower, a hospital in our own community that is just for kids. When combined with its adjacent outpatient Children’s Pavilion, this 16-story tower completes an entire city block dedicated to caring for children and their families.

The Children’s Tower brings innovative care to young patients, but even though it’s a place of serious medical treatments, it’s all presented in a kid-centric atmosphere filled with cheerful, calming touches. Colorful furniture, murals lining the walls, design themes and signage that make it easy to find your way — these add up to create a feeling of positivity for all who enter. And all the people who work in the Children’s Tower, from doctors and environmental services team members to nurses and child life specialists, are trained in the science and art of caring for kids.

Cutting the ribbon for a new era in children’s care

As the crown jewel of Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, the Children’s Tower celebrated its opening with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting on March 28, 2023, with nearly 300 families, elected officials, hospital team members, donors and community partners in attendance. The $420 million facility officially opened on April 30. The Children’s Tower marks the completion of a longstanding vision.

A smiling pre-teen girl and her teddy bear in a hospital bed at the Children’s Tower ar CHoR

This hospital is all for our kids, and it’s unlike any other.

Elias Neujahr CHoR PRESIDENT

“The conversations around a fully kid-focused children’s hospital have been taking place for many years,” CHoR President Elias Neujahr said. “When I came to CHoR, I joined the group of passionate advocates dedicated to making our community’s dream a reality. It seems surreal that we’re now ready to bring our remarkable teams into this new space to make a lifesaving and life-changing difference for kids and families. It wouldn’t have been possible without the commitment of our teams, Children’s Hospital Foundation and our incredible community of supporters who have worked tirelessly for the last several years. This hospital is all for our kids, and it’s unlike any other.”

CHoR broke ground on the tower in June 2019 as part of a comprehensive plan to address the needs of the community and state. Construction continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as workers overcame staffing and supply chain issues to complete the project on time. HKS was the architect for the Children’s Tower, with project management by JLL and construction by DPR.

Two women working with two young boys and a girl

The campaign continues

Since 2019, thousands of individuals, businesses and organizations have made gifts to help fund construction through the $100 million “Built for Kids, Built by You” capital campaign conducted by Children’s Hospital Foundation. The campaign accounts for nearly one-quarter of the Children’s Tower total budget and is scheduled to be completed by June 2025.

Exterior of a modern 16-story hospital in downtown Richmond, Virginia.

A million square feet designed just for children

The 16-story facility completes a city block with nearly a million square feet of space dedicated to caring for children. Youths and families were at the center of every design decision in the kid-friendly facility, including:

  • The region’s only Level 1 pediatric trauma center and emergency department, with 24/7 access to leading pediatric specialists. With a helipad on the roof and free, convenient valet parking right outside the Children’s Emergency entrance, emergency care for children has been made extremely accessible by design.
  • Two acute care pediatrics units with all private rooms, including dedicated units for epilepsy monitoring and cellular immunotherapies.
  • Kid-friendly amenities that make the hospital more comfortable and fun, including playrooms, teen lounges, family lounges, a family gym, an indoor children’s garden and beautiful views of the city.
  • A 24-bed pediatric intensive care unit for infants, kids and teens in need of lifesaving care for critical illnesses and injuries.
  • An inpatient pharmacy staffed with specially trained pediatric pharmacists.
  • An imaging and radiology unit designed for children, with special features like child life services, movie goggles and “imagine suites” that make the experience more comfortable.
  • A children’s surgery center, one of only a handful on the East Coast to be verified as an elite Level 1 Children’s Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons.
  • A Sky Lobby, featuring a Ronald McDonald House, multifaith chapel, performance space for special events, donor wall and James River-inspired artwork.
  • A kid- and family-friendly cafeteria with made-to-order meals, grab-and-go options and even brick oven pizza.
  • Free, convenient parking within the connected multistory Children’s Parking Deck and directly outside the emergency entrance.

Accessibility for families was key in the design of the Children’s Tower. To make wayfinding easier, a specific James River-inspired mascot is the theme on each floor, with graphics of the animals signifying your location. The tower’s cafeteria, playrooms and other features are just a quick elevator ride away.

Beyond the grand opening: new growth, new additions

In the Children’s Tower’s first month, CHoR experienced double-digit growth in acute care admissions, imaging studies and surgeries. When the first patient was moved into the new facility, CHoR was already planning ways to expand access to care.

Since its opening, the tower has added a Ronald McDonald House in the Sky Lobby. Run by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Richmond staff and volunteers, the 3,285-square-foot facility serves caregivers and families as their child receives medical treatment.

With dining and lounging areas, four family sleep rooms, a food-service area, laundry facilities, a children’s play area and an outdoor patio, the house offers families a chance to relax, enjoy a meal and participate in calming activities. Offerings include Lunches with Love, snack services and warm dinners, plus amenities such as music programs, hair styling and chair massages.

Other expansions are in the works at the tower. Construction has started on a dedicated cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology lab. Also, a Teammates for Kids child life zone is projected to open in 2024. Designed to make the hospital feel more homelike, the zone will be a place to celebrate birthdays, do crafts, play at a recording studio and enjoy other kid-friendly activities.

So far, reviews for the new Children’s Tower are stellar. Surveys on patient experience show responses for patient satisfaction and likely to recommend within the 95th percentile. And best of all, every day, more children are served, bringing new hope to our next generation.

To commemorate the first evening in the new Children’s Tower at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, first-responders from the region offered a special goodnight for patients and team members.

A brilliant night for our first Children’s Tower patients

Starting at 5 a.m. on April 30, 2023, all the young patients in the ER, pediatric acute and intensive care units were moved to their new rooms in the Children’s Tower. To mark the children’s first night in the new tower, CHoR and VCU Police organized a special celebration — Goodnight Lights. Families received different colored flashlights, which they shined out their hospital room windows at 8:45 p.m. Dozens of EMT workers, police officers and other first responders turned the event into a parade of flashing lights, waving to the children from their vehicles below.

  • Marking a new era in health care: the March 28, 2023, Children’s Tower ribbon cutting ceremony.
  • Young actors from SPARC perform at the grand opening celebration.
  • The 16-story tower officially opened April 30, 2023.
  • Guests of all ages attended the tower’s Community Block Party.
  • An adult helps young children playing with building blocks in an indoor setting.
  • A flying squirrel mascot fist bumps a young child.