Roper St. Francis Healthcare Breaks Ground on Roper Hospital Campus

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Roper St. Francis Healthcare, in partnership with E4H Environments for Health Architecture; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM); and Barton Malow | Edifice, has officially broken ground on the future Roper Hospital. The $1.2 billion campus is designed to transform healthcare delivery in the Lowcountry, combining advanced technology, resilience planning, and a patient-centered approach.

"We've worked hand-in-hand with hundreds of dedicated healthcare professionals to understand their needs and vision."

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"Leading the architectural team for Roper Hospital has been both a challenge and an honor," said Jeremy Bartz, AIA, NCARB, Sr. Executive Director, at E4H. "We've worked hand-in-hand with hundreds of dedicated healthcare professionals to understand their needs and vision. The result is distinctly Lowcountry—a sophisticated campus that feels connected to this place while delivering world-class care through its innovative layout and thoughtful integration with the community."

“Connectivity and resilience are central to the vision for Roper Hospital’s future campus,” says Anthony Treu, AIA, ACHA, 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.”

The future campus will be the fourth location for Roper Hospital since it opened in downtown Charleston in 1856.

“We’re not just erecting walls and hallways,” said Roper St. Francis Healthcare President and CEO Joseph DeLeon. “We’re building the next chapter of a nearly 2-century-old story where each brick represents a patient, loved one, teammate or community member who has been or will be touched by our mission of healing all people with compassion, faith and excellence.”

“It’s inspiring to see Roper St. Francis Healthcare not only investing in the area’s growth but also continuing their nearly 200-year legacy of exceptional patient care,” said Dan Buchta of the Barton Malow | Edifice team. “We’re proud to collaborate on this 805,000-square-foot facility, which reflects Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s enduring commitment to the Charleston community and the health and well-being of its residents.”

Upon full buildout, the 805,000-square-foot hospital building will include inpatient beds, an emergency department, critical care beds, operating rooms, a comprehensive imaging department, and a hemodialysis unit. The layout integrates procedure rooms from different disciplines on the same floor, allowing for efficient interdepartmental care in cardiac, neurology, and endoscopy services.

Barton Malow | Edifice is leading construction using a target value delivery method, allowing the team to adjust design components while maintaining budgetary integrity. Despite challenges related to seismic conditions, FAA height restrictions, and a high-water table, the project remains on track for a 2029 completion.

For more information about the future Roper Hospital and the broader systemwide master plan, visit www.rsfh.com.

About the Project Team

The new Roper Hospital campus is being delivered by a nationally recognized team of design and construction leaders. Architecture is led by E4H Environments for Health Architecture, a MOREgroup brand and the nation’s largest firm solely focused on healthcare and health science. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the design architect, is a global collective of architects, engineers, and planners, bringing expertise in resilient, human-centered healthcare environments. Construction is led by Barton Malow, a North American builder with specialties across healthcare and education, and Edifice Construction, a Carolinas-based ENR Top 400 General Contractor. Together, the team is delivering a resilient and future-ready campus designed for the Lowcountry.

About Roper St. Francis Healthcare

As a not-for-profit healthcare system, Roper St. Francis Healthcare chooses purpose over profits by putting extra money back into the system to help meet the health needs of the Charleston community. The healthcare system features four flagship hospitals: Roper Hospital, Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital and Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital. In an emergency, the healthcare system offers six strategically placed emergency departments. With nearly 7,000 teammates, Roper St. Francis Healthcare is the Lowcountry’s largest private employer with more than 1,000 doctors representing almost every medical specialty, and it has earned status as a Great Place to Work. The system has nearly 700 beds and more than 120 facilities and services across four counties. Learn more at rsfh.com.