Development

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Roper St. Francis Healthcare has broken ground on a $1.2 billion hospital campus in North Charleston, roughly 10 miles outside of downtown Charleston. Completion is scheduled for 2029.  Upon completion, the complex will total 805,000 square feet and feature inpatient beds, an emergency department, critical care beds, operating rooms, a comprehensive imaging department and a hemodialysis unit.  The project team includes E4H Environments for Health Architecture; architecture, design, engineering and planning firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM); and general contractor Barton Malow | Edifice.  “Connectivity and resilience are central to the vision for Roper Hospital’s future campus,” says Anthony Treu, healthcare practice leader at SOM. “As the design architects, we’re transforming a constrained suburban site into a cohesive healthcare destination inspired by the landscapes of the Lowcountry. The result is a future-ready, resilient campus that enhances access and fosters a supportive, patient-focused environment — setting a new standard for the next century of care.” This marks the fourth Roper Hospital location in Charleston since the first facility opened in 1856. Roper St. Francis Healthcare is the Lowcountry region’s largest private employer, with roughly 7,000 staff members. St. Francis currently operates more than 120 facilities across four …