Bayfront Health Breaks Ground On Major Campus Expansion In Downtown St. Pete’s Innovation District
Bayfront Health St. Petersburg has begun construction on a major expansion of its downtown campus that will further cement the hospital as a prominent anchor of the Innovation District.
When Orlando Health purchased Bayfront Hospital St. Petersburg in 2020, it pledged to revive the 480-bed hospital after years of financial turmoil under its former owner. Orlando Health’s promise included not only strengthening the hospital’s charity care programs but to also restore Bayfront as a premier healthcare facility in St. Petersburg in both patient care and facilities provided.
Bayfront Health is the only state-accredited Level II Adult Trauma Center in Pinellas County and is nationally accredited as a Comprehensive Stroke Center. It is also the oldest hospital in St. Petersburg and began in 1910 as Good Samaritan Hospital.
In late 2022, Orlando Health announced the first major facilities expansion of Bayfront since its takeover with the announcement of Institute Square, a new medical complex planned immediately north the hospital.
“Bayfront Health – Institute Square ushers in a new era for our hospital and emphasizes Orlando Health’s commitment to providing advanced healthcare throughout our community,” said John Moore, Senior Vice President for Orlando Health and President of Bayfront Health.
“Institute Square will bring world-class care to the Tampa Bay region and beyond through partnerships with the Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Florida Orthopaedic Institute, All Florida Orthopaedic Associates, and Women’s Care.”
Institute Square will be located immediately north of the hospital on the superblock bound by 5th Avenue South to the north, 6th Avenue South to the south, 7th Street South to the east, and 8th Street South to the west.
The medical complex will consist of three buildings: the Bayfront Health Medical Pavilion, Bayfront Health Women’s Pavilion, and a multi-level parking deck that will include an imaging center.
The Bayfront Health Medical Pavilion will be a four-story 120,000 square foot medical office building that will offer world-class care through partnerships with the Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, and All Florida Orthopaedic Associates.
Cancer care at the new facility will be provided by multiple oncology specialists and physicians offering care in urogynecology, colorectal, thoracic, lung, head and neck, breast, and skin cancer treatments.
Just west of the Bayfront Health Medical Pavilion will be the Bayfront Health Women’s Pavilion, a three-story, 60,000 square foot building that will offer comprehensive women’s care. The facility will include care in obstetrics, gynecology, and women’s health through all phases of life, from pre-teen to post-menopausal years. Bayfront is partnering with Women’s Care, a Tampa-based specialty women’s health physician group, on the facility.
Institute Square will also include a 9,500 square foot imaging center that will be located on the ground floor of a multi-level parking deck. The imaging center will include outpatient imaging and diagnostic laboratory services.
Each building at Institute Square will include separate patient drop off areas and covered walkways.
Construction on Institute Square is underway and existing buildings on the site were previously demolished. Current construction activities include relocating utilities and doing deep foundation work by placing more than 200 stone columns to support the new buildings. A ground crane is onsite to assist in the foundation work.
“We are excited for the St. Petersburg community to follow the construction of Institute Square with us on Bayfront Health’s main downtown campus,” said Matt Taylor, Senior Vice President of Asset Strategy for Orlando Health.
“Orlando Health is pleased to expand its presence and further invest in serving the community’s health and wellness needs through the new Women’s Pavilion, Medical Pavilion, Imaging Center, and parking garage now underway at Institute Square,” added Taylor.
Turner Construction Company is the general contractor for Institute Square.
Bayfront Health St. Petersburg expects to open Institute Square in 2025.
Source: St. Pete Rising
