Children’s Health and UT Southwestern Medical Center broke ground Tuesday on a new $5 billion pediatric health campus that will replace the existing Children’s Medical Center Dallas. The new campus encompasses more than 4.7 million square feet of construction, with a new pediatric hospital as its centerpiece.

Dallas Innovates first wrote about the $5B project when it was announced in February.

As part of Tuesday’s groundbreaking event, a $100 million gift from The Rees-Jones Foundation was announced to support the construction of the new pediatric campus. That follows an earlier gift of $100 million for the project from the Jean and Mack Pogue family, which was announced in May. Together, the gifts mark the first time in Texas that a not-for-profit construction project has received two individual leadership gifts of $100 million.

At the groundbreaking of the new $5B pediatric campus in Dallas, L to R: Annabella, Clayton, Troy Aikman, Hilda Marie Loria, M.D., Pediatrician at Children’s Health and Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Amelia, Jan Rees-Jones, Trevor Rees-Jones, Christopher Durovich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Health, Preston, Amairy, Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., President of UT Southwestern Medical Center, Trevor Rees-Jones, David Rees-Jones, Jessica Nowitzki, Dirk Nowitzki, Kadence, Drew. [Photo: Children’s Health]

Meeting a growing need for pediatric health care

The new hospital will have two 12-story towers and an 8-story tower, along with the broader care site, and will significantly expand inpatient, surgical, and ambulatory capacity to meet the needs of one of the fastest-growing and largest metropolitan areas in the country.

“For more than 110 years Children’s Health, together with our 60-year partners at UT Southwestern, have sought to provide the best care available to the families of North Texas,” Children’s Health President and CEO Christopher Durovich said in a statement. “Today, as we prepare for the tremendous growth in the area’s pediatric population, through this new pediatric campus we are reaffirming our promise that every child in this community will have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, no matter the challenges they face.”

“This new Dallas campus will be a beacon of hope and healing for our children today—and for generations to come,” he added.

The new pediatric campus will be at the corner of Harry Hines Boulevard and Paul Bass Way, across from UTSW’s William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital.

Preparing to serve a region with ‘unprecedented growth’

Children’s Health said that as North Texas realizes unprecedented growth, and with the pediatric population expected to double by 2050, there is an urgent demand for advanced pediatric health care.

The systems said that to meet those needs, Children’s Health and UT Southwestern announced plans for the new pediatric campus in February that will expand access to a full range of pediatric services from routine care to complex treatments, creating a one-of-a-kind hub for academic research, training, and the development of life-saving technologies.

“Today marks an important milestone for UT Southwestern and our longstanding partner Children’s Health, as we endeavor to set a new standard for excellence in pediatric health care, education, and research,” Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., president of UT Southwestern, said in a statement. “This transformative project follows years of careful consideration and collaboration, and it positions us to more effectively meet the needs of our growing community and provide the best environment possible for the care of pediatric patients and support of their families.”

Highlights of the new campus

The new campus is designed exclusively for pediatric patients and families. Highlights of the new campus include:

• 552 beds, additional operating rooms, and an enhanced Level I pediatric trauma center with 90 emergency department exam rooms and 24 observation rooms
• New fetal care center for complex maternal and fetal health with direct access via a connector bridge to William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital
• More than 20 acres of green space, including Pogue Park, walking trails, healing views from patient rooms, and an open courtyard
• Thoughtfully designed private patient rooms that prioritize the comfort of children and their families, equipped with customizable lighting, sleeping arrangements for caregivers, advanced technology and floor-to-ceiling windows creating a strong connection to the outdoors to enhance the overall experience
• Eight rehabilitation and therapy gyms for patient families – even for those who are immunocompromised
• 13 playrooms designed for different ages and interests
• Two retail pharmacies, a juice and smoothie bar, three coffee shops, and a food hall

To recognize The Rees-Jones Foundation gift, the central hospital tower at the new Dallas pediatric campus will be named Rees-Jones Tower. In addition to patient rooms and unique amenities, Rees-Jones Tower will serve as the main hospital entrance and house the lobby and welcome areas for patients and their families, Children’s Health said.

“We’re grateful for our strong relationship with Children’s Health and UT Southwestern, two organizations that align with our interest in providing quality medical care to those in our community most in need, particularly our children and youth suffering from various medical conditions,” Jan Rees-Jones said in a statement. “Our family is thankful to be involved in building the new Dallas pediatric hospital and campus, a facility that will change lives both in our community and around the world.”

More on The Rees-Jones Foundation

Founded in 2006 by Jan and Trevor Rees-Jones, The Rees-Jones Foundation is a private foundation that works with nonprofit organizations in North Texas, Africa, and India to serve others and improve their quality of life in tangible ways.

With an estimated net worth of $4.4 billion, Trevor D. Rees-Jones is an attorney, billionaire businessman, and philanthropist. Rees-Jones is the founder and chairman of Chief Oil and Gas.

The Rees-Jones Foundation has been a longtime supporter of Children’s Health, establishing the Rees-Jones Center for Foster Care Excellence in 2012 as the only clinic in North Texas to treat the unique physical and emotional needs of children and youth who have experience with the child welfare system. Previous donations from The Rees-Jones Foundation to Children’s Health in support of the Center have exceeded $35 million, providing care and services to more than 2,000 children annually.

The Rees-Jones Foundation also has given more than $10 million to UT Southwestern since 2016 to support programs aimed at identifying risk for depression and mood disorders in young people and building mental health resilience.

“Community support is vital to the creation of this epic new pediatric campus in Dallas,” Brent Christopher, president of Children’s Medical Center Foundation, said in a statement. “It’s impossible to fully express our gratitude to the Rees-Jones family, both for the example they set and for their overwhelming generosity. Their contributions make the whole community stronger, which will be felt by more kids and families than we can possibly imagine.”

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