In 2012, CHRISTUS Health approved a plan to transform Santa Rosa Hospital’s downtown campus into The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. Through an extensive renovation and expansion, the 100-year-old adult and pediatric facility was converted into a 400,000 SF state-of-the-art academic children’s facility known as the “Beacon of Hope.”

The conversion and update of a historic, 12-story facility was no easy feat. As our team got to work on assessing the MEP systems, they realized that the plans and drawings of the original facility were not always available, and the last major update to the facility had occurred in the 1970s. This presented some surprises and challenges along the way that our team was able to navigate with constant communication to the entire project team.

Careful planning by the entire project team resulted in a phased approach to construction that would enable the facility to stay in operation and minimize disruptions to patient care. The emergency department, NICU, and ICU remained as operational as possible during construction.

The result is a facility that focuses on all aspects of patient care. The patient rooms were redesigned with families in mind and are 30% larger than existing rooms; the renovated operation rooms specifically designed to meet children’s needs; each floor features a family break room with amenities of home; a playroom; and new dedicated spaces for treatment, education, recreation, and research. Also included in the renovations were extensive exterior improvements. A large garden was built with dedicated spaces for learning, healing, and prayer.

Representing the hospital’s belief in a “spirit of healing,” is a nine-story, exterior mural of angels watching a young boy holding a dove, the colors of which are reflected by 11-foot LED-powered colorful window panels.