“Topping Out” Ceremony for New O’quinn Medical Tower Marks Historic Milestone for Baylor St. Luke’s

HOUSTON, TX -- With the hoisting of a commemorative steel beam covered in hundreds of hand-written signatures, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center celebrated the completion of the concrete structure in the ongoing construction of the O'Quinn Medical Tower at the McNair Campus. The traditional “topping out” ceremony was attended by hospital leaders and board members from St. Luke’s Health, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine, along with a host of individuals involved in this historic project, which, when completed in 2023, will greatly expand medical services and outpatient care to residents of Greater Houston.

“Today we celebrate the rebirth of the iconic O’Quinn Medical Tower, as part of the continued development of our new medical campus,” said Doug Lawson, Ph.D., CEO of St. Luke’s Health. “The completion of the tower’s structure is a significant milestone as we move toward advancing our position as a high-performing health system within Texas.”

The event, which also marked the next phase of construction on the Medical Tower, was also attended by key individuals from HKS Architects, Harvey Builders and other organizations working on the project. Their signatures were among the hundreds of hospital employees and leaders who signed the commemorative beam for posterity.

The new 12-story O’Quinn Medical Tower at Baylor St. Luke’s - McNair Campus will be the new clinical home for the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Center is nationally ranked for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report and is one of only three National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in Texas, a designation it earned through Baylor College of Medicine.

“The new O’Quinn Tower and its designation as the clinical home of Baylor’s Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center will be an important milestones in Baylor’s mission,” said Dr. Paul Klotman, president, CEO and executive dean of Baylor College of Medicine. “The McNair Campus is the hub of our clinical activity, and we look forward to the continued expansion.”

The expanded cancer center will offer radiation therapy and other diagnostic and treatment services, as well as multiple specialized oncology clinics and an infusion center. The new tower will also house multiple outpatient services including radiology, endoscopy and an ambulatory surgery center. Among the new services expected to be offered at the new tower are a Pain Center and a Women’s Center for diagnostic breast imaging.

“At Baylor St. Luke’s, we challenge ourselves every day to deliver exceptional, compassionate care while creating a positive experience for our patients and their families,” said Liz Youngblood, president of Baylor St. Luke’s. “By consolidating complementary services into one single location, we are elevating the patient experience of providing and receiving care and making it more convenient for our patients to receive the high-quality care they deserve.”

The O’Quinn Medical Tower is part of the expanding McNair Campus, which will boast more than 400,000 square feet of space to support and provide personalized care to patients and families. The campus will eventually include another hospital bed tower and ambulatory care center. The McNair Campus sits directly adjacent to the planned site of TMC3, the new 37-acre campus that will be located between Old Spanish Trail and the Brays Bayou. The new campus boasts a convenient location with ample parking and easy access to Highway 288, positioning Baylor St. Luke’s with the newest ambulatory diagnostic and treatment facility.

About St. Luke’s Health – Texas Division
St. Luke’s Health is a fully-integrated network that provides care to the communities in Greater Houston, East Texas, and the Brazos Valley through 16 acute care hospitals and over 270 access points including numerous urgent care centers, freestanding emergency departments, and clinics conveniently located across the region. With a team of 11,000 employees and caregivers and more than 5,000 physicians, St. Luke’s Health is dedicated to a mission of enhancing community health through high-quality, cost-effective care. A joint venture with Baylor College of Medicine, St. Luke’s Health operates Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Texas Medical Center, a leading academic health center with quaternary care and advanced specialists. St. Luke’s Health is part of CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit, Catholic health system dedicated to advancing health for all people. CommonSpirit was created in February 2019 through the alignment of Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health. Learn more at StLukesHealth.org.

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