Ground Broken for 85,000-SF Cancer Treatment and Research Center on CHRISTUS Health – Tyler Campus

Ground was recently broken on the Northeast Texas Cancer and Research Institute, an innovative new cancer center in Tyler, Texas. A Cottonwood Development project, the 85,000-square-foot facility center is located on the CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler campus and will provide outpatient care to the region.

The Northeast Texas Cancer and Research Institute will consist of specialized areas for Tyler’s largest oncology provider, including 30,000 square feet of clinic space for medical oncology, radiation oncology and gynecologic oncology services, and nearly 3,000 square feet dedicated to research. These areas will also contain three linear accelerators for radiation therapy, 52 chemotherapy infusion stations – including six allotted to research – and four private rooms, as well as pharmacy and lab services and an exercise area for patients.

Within the institute, CHRISTUS Health will house a 7,500-square-foot advanced imaging center with 3T MRI, PET/CT, ultrasound, nuclear medicine and more. There will be an additional 10,000 square feet of CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic space in the new institute to support the surgical oncology programs of the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louise Herrington Cancer Center, an inpatient facility located within CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler, providing advanced, inpatient care for complex cancer patients. The project also consists of a 762-car parking garage.

General contractor McCarthy Building Companies will self-perform earthwork and concrete for the project, including concrete for the three linear accelerator vaults. These high-density concrete vaults, used for external beam radiation treatments that deliver high-energy beams of accelerated electrons to target tumors, feature 8-foot-thick walls and a 6-foot-thick lid. The vault walls will be poured monolithically in a continuous pour in order to avoid using any joints that radiation could leak through. The vaults are above ground, attached to the cancer center, and are accessed from inside the building through a heavy lead-lined steel door.

The project team also includes Harris Craig Architects as the architect for the overall building design, and Corgan as the architect for the finish out.