UPMC Building Its Vision Of The Future

PITTSBURGH, PA - The cavernous hole in the ground takes up an entire city block. Large cranes based in the pit fronting the Boulevard of the Allies rise high in the sky, offering a hint of the future.

On a former parking lot across the street from UPMC Mercy hospital, a bevy of construction workers are building the UPMC Vision and Rehabilitation Hospital. UPMC officials believe that when it opens late in 2022, it will position the Pittsburgh-based health conglomerate at the global forefront of ophthalmic research and rehabilitation.

It’s the first of three new hospitals UPMC is constructing in a $2 billion investment in new medical facilities in Pittsburgh. The UPMC Hillman Cancer Hospital will be located in Shadyside, while the UPMC Heart and Transplant Hospital will be built in Oakland.

“This is the first of the three new building projects that will provide a level of specialty care that is distinct to Pittsburgh and to our health system,” said Leslie Davis, UPMC senior vice president and executive vice president of UPMC Health Services Division.

“The tower will merge UPMC’s pioneering research and outstanding clinical care in vision and rehabilitation, allowing our physicians and scientists to translate our revolutionary science and research from bench to bedside, all to benefit our patients.”

UPMC isn’t the only Pittsburgh health conglomerate investing heavily in new facilities. The competing Allegheny Health Network and Highmark Health are investing $1 million in new construction and hospital expansions.

The Allegheny-Highmark building boom includes AHN Wexford Hospital; smaller neighborhood hospitals in Brentwood, McCandless, Harmar and Hempfield; six cancer institutes; two outpatient centers and an East Side wellness pavilion.

UPMC’s nine-story, 410,000 square-foot Vision and Rehabilitaton Hospital will be linked via a tower to the current inpatient rehabilitation units at UPMC Mercy.

“In the years that UPMC Mercy has been part of the UPMC family, we have experienced incredible growth and transformation, with this new tower being the most significant to date,” UPMC president Michael Grace said. . “Our patients are at the heart of everything we do, and the exceptional research and care that will take place within the walls of this building will benefit our patients in the decades to come.”

The hospital will offer gene and cell therapies to treat eye diseases and will have high-resolution imaging and state-of-the-art ocular testing, laser-assisted cataract surgery and micro-invasive ocular surgery. It will house several dozen 25 scientific teams dedicated to developing innovative therapies to combat blindness. There also will be an urgent care eye clinic for eye and vision emergencies with extended hours that will enable patients to directly access ophthalmologist specialists.

The building will include a mock apartment and street lab where patients can go through simulations that teach them critical skills, enabled by vision performance testing and physical and vision rehabilitation. There also will be exam rooms, an optical shop, pharmacy, therapy facilities and gym.

The building was designed by HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm that has offices on three continents. Its former sports facilities component, which became a separate entity known as Populous in 2009, designed PNC Park, Heinz Field and PPG Paints Arena.

HOK’s vision for the new hospital includes the nine-story tower that will house research, office and conference areas, as well as a four-story building for hospital functions such as surgery, clinical and pharmacy spaces.
The materials used for the facade will be a mix of energy-efficient patterned glass, warm terra-cotta and brick. According to HOK, the design was meant to respect the architectural character of Pittsburgh and the prominent site on the Boulevard of the Allies.

“We’re proud to partner with UPMC to give form to their compelling mission,” said Thomas Quigley, a director of Healthcare with HOK.

“Together we have designed the UPMC Vision and Rehabilitation Hospital as an integrated center for excellence that is woven into the city’s urban fabric. While the building will become a new icon for Pittsburgh, it’s most important that it be understandable and welcoming to all visitors, patients and staff, regardless of their vision level or physical capabilities.”