The main entrance to the Wexner Medical Center inpatient hospital is taking shape as steel framing continues in preparation for glass installation. Structural steel is up to level 15 and the concrete structure of the middle elevator tower is approaching level 25. The 1.9 million-square-foot hospital is the largest single facilities project ever undertaken at Ohio State.
Additional construction progress highlights include:
- Structural steel erection continues and is substantially complete through level 15 with metal decking.
- The middle elevator tower is the largest and tallest of the three towers and will be approaching level 25 in early June. When complete, it will top out at level 27 and contain a total of eight staff elevators and twelve public elevators. The north and south elevator tower concrete structures were finished in the spring.
- Exterior wall systems are being installed on all sides of the facility up to level four.
- Installation of precast brick panels continues on the north and west sides of the building. The exterior wall system, which consists of precast concrete, glass and aluminum panels, is currently being installed in select test locations and will begin on the west façade in mid-June. The final configuration is a “sawtooth” pattern horizontally and straight vertically. Hand laid brick is also being placed at the loading dock and other exterior areas.
- Four electrical back-up generators have been set in place and almost half of the 96 air handling units have been installed.
- With permanent utilities installed up to the building, the project is now utilizing water through the permanent domestic water meter.
- Construction crews continue to place concrete floor slabs. The slabs on metal deck are complete through level seven. Rough-in work continues on electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems and wall framing has begun.
The 1.9 million-square-foot hospital began construction in fall 2020 and is expected to open in early 2026.