The Marcus Tower at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, located in Georgia, opened April 13, almost four months early, in an effort to serve the community and make more intensive care unit beds available during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If necessary, three ICU and acute nursing units, spread over the tower’s sixth, seventh and eighth floors, will be made available, adding a total of 132 additional beds, with 64 designated as ICU beds. These units will house both COVID-19 positive patients and non-COVID-19 patients. Originally, the tower, which was made possible through an initial donation of $75 million from Bernie and Billi Marcus via The Marcus Foundation, was set to open Aug. 1.
The tower’s curved façade creates a public plaza; this, along with the tower’s sleek curtainwall, connect the hospital to its vibrant neighborhood. The tower’s exterior transforms what could have been a bland street corner into the hospital’s front porch. Inside, the design channels Southern hospitality, with a bright, double-height lobby featuring a wood soffit ceiling, evoking warmth and protection.
Piedmont’s project management team, working in concert with its partners Brasfield & Gorrie, CBRE and HKS, have accelerated the completion of these floors and manufacturers have shipped equipment ahead of schedule to achieve this goal. Crews have worked extended schedules, including over weekends, to get these areas ready for patients. Piedmont Atlanta staff members have worked hard in preparation for the opening as well, creating plans, participating in tours and drills, testing equipment and training to work in the new space.
When the rest of the tower opens in August, it will house the Piedmont Heart Institute, the new Marcus Heart and Vascular Center, the Samsky Invasive Cardiovascular Services Center and the Shaheen Auditorium. The 16-story tower will feature technologically advanced operating rooms, cardiac labs, critical and acute care facilities and up to 408 beds.
