The skyline over Midtown got a little more crowded Monday as crews hoisted the final structural beam into place on the new SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. The topping‑out of the 14‑story frame at Chouteau and Grand marks a major step toward a tower that will bring roughly 200 inpatient beds and significantly expanded intensive‑care and surgical space for pediatric patients across the region.
Construction milestone in Midtown
The topping‑out ceremony, a construction tradition that celebrates placement of the highest beam, drew hospital and project leaders to the busy corner of Chouteau Avenue and Grand Boulevard. As reported by First Alert 4, the event marked a highly visible milestone for a project that has been steadily climbing into the St. Louis skyline.
What the new hospital will include
According to SSM Health, the new 14‑story facility is being designed around family‑centered patient units, with more than 200 inpatient beds and expanded neonatal and pediatric intensive‑care capacity. HCO News reports that the program will also feature a bone‑marrow transplant unit, a pediatric dialysis unit, and larger operating rooms and recovery areas to support modern treatments that the current building cannot easily accommodate.
Design, contractor and schedule
The design‑build effort is being led by architects HKS and The Lawrence Group, with McCarthy Building Companies serving as construction lead. McCarthy’s project announcement notes that the replacement hospital is slated for completion in 2027 and will plug into SSM Health’s growing academic medical campus along Grand Avenue.
Replacing a decades‑old facility
The new tower is set to take over for Cardinal Glennon’s existing midcentury hospital, with a goal of boosting capacity and creating more room for families. St. Louis Public Radio has reported that the hospital currently treats about 7,000 inpatients and roughly 173,000 outpatients each year, demand that helped push leadership toward a larger, more modern facility.
Hospital leaders emphasize community benefit
Hospital officials say the project is about more than a new building, arguing it will strengthen pediatric care across the region while supporting local jobs and training. “We are devoted to building a healthier, brighter future,” SSM Health stated in its announcement about the new Cardinal Glennon.
Construction scale and next steps
The replacement hospital will cover roughly 500,000 square feet and, according to industry reporting, has already required more than 30,000 cubic yards of concrete and over 1,000 concrete columns to reach its current height. HCO News reports that crews will now turn to enclosing the structure, installing interior systems and building out clinical spaces ahead of the planned 2027 opening.
For St. Louis families, seeing that last beam swing into place is a concrete sign that the long‑anticipated opening is getting closer. The new, larger Cardinal Glennon is expected to anchor advanced pediatric care for the region, while officials continue community fundraising, hiring and training as the interior work moves forward.
