A Comprehensive Care Destination Designed for the Lowcountry
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC – June 11, 2025 – 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.
The future facility is envisioned as a model of 21st-century healthcare—built to persevere through environmental challenges while improving access and enhancing the experience for patients and visitors alike. Planned on a 27-acre site north of the Charleston peninsula, the campus continues Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s tradition of excellence while preparing for the needs of future generations.
“Leading the architectural team for Roper Hospital has been both a challenge and an honor,” said E4H Sr. Executive Director Jeremy Bartz, AIA, NCARB. “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. This project will transform healthcare delivery across the region through its innovative layout and thoughtful integration with the community.”
The campus masterplan organizes the hospital around a central pedestrian green belt that links the site’s three separate parcels with shaded walkways, gardens, and plazas inspired by Charleston’s historic street spaces and the native flora of the Lowcountry. The architecture and interiors similarly draw from the surrounding region’s unique ecosystems to create a sequence of immersive and serene experiences for visitors.
“Connectivity and resilience are central to the vision for Roper Hospital’s future campus,” said SOM Healthcare Practice Leader Anthony Treu, AIA, ACHA. “As the design architects leading the campus planning, built environment, and public space design, 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.”
Upon full buildout, the 805,000-square-foot hospital building will include 328 inpatient beds, a 47-bay emergency department, 44 critical care beds, 18 operating rooms, a comprehensive imaging department, and a 12-bay 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.
“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.”
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.
About E4H Environments for Health Architecture
E4H Environments for Health Architecture is the largest architecture and interior design firm solely dedicated to healthcare and health science. Their mission is to design environments that enhance healing, advance health research, and elevate hope. E4H is proud to be part of MOREgroup, a family of architecture, design, and engineering brands that collaborate across the practice areas of healthcare, civic, and education.
About Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is a global collective of architects, engineers, and planners designing buildings, interiors, and public spaces that push the boundaries of technical and environmental innovation. From a state-of-the-art facility for New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to an award-winning center at Emory University that reimagines cancer care, SOM’s Healthcare Practice is dedicated to advancing the future of healthcare delivery through human-centered, research-driven design.
About Barton Malow
For more than a century, Barton Malow has been committed to building People, Projects, and Communities. With team members strategically positioned across North America, they are on a mission to transform the construction industry through innovation and increased efficiencies in the building process. With market specialties that include healthcare, commercial, K12, higher education, sports, and entertainment, the team strives to partner with clients each step of the way.
About Edifice Construction
Edifice Construction is a regional general contractor headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, with offices in Charleston and Greenville, South Carolina. Since its inception in 1978, Edifice has grown to become one of the leading commercial contractors in the Southeast and is an Engineering News-Record (ENR) top 400 U.S. general contractor. With a diverse portfolio in all major markets Edifice teams excel in projects ranging from the intricacies of interior renovations to complex multi-faceted structures.
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.
