Cutting-Edge Center in Maryland Centralizes Cancer Care

By Fay Harvey  

TOWSON, Md. — The final development phase for a new comprehensive, multidisciplinary cancer center in Towson, Md., has officially concluded. The two-story Sandra R. Berman Pavilion, owned by Baltimore-based not-for-profit healthcare provider GBMC HealthCare, will serve as a centralized location for patents seeking a variety of care, from imaging to wellness to pharmaceutical needs. 

The 70,000-square-foot hospital, which sits next to a new four-story parking garage, was completed in late 2024 but opened in separate phases over the last few months to facilitate the relocation of services and staff. The pavilion houses the GBMC Sandra and Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute, which provides outpatient care through an array of specialties, including breast cancer, genetics, oncology, gynecology and infusion therapy. 

GBMC worked alongside Hammes, a Milwaukee, Wis.-based healthcare developer, to create operational and project management plans. The project team sought broad and comprehensive feedback throughout the design and construction phases and implemented various patient- and staff-centered elements within the facility. Throughout early development, clinical teams employed workflow validation to ensure basic procedures flowed smoothly in the new design. By doing so, project leaders were able to ensure a high level of patient safety and staff efficiency. 

“There was a great deal of complexity associated with the move to the new Berman Pavilion,” said Rebecca Stover, GBMC HealthCare director of project management. “The detailed transition and activation planning led by Hammes ensured the facility was ready and, importantly, that we were operationally ready, thanks to comprehensive schedules and a seamless relocation plan.” 

The design-build team also included Baltimore-based architecture firm Hord Coplan Macht (HMC) and construction services from Baltimore-based DPR Construction. 

Design 

In tandem with feedback from patients, families, staff and volunteers, the project architects employed trauma-informed design strategies to maintain a safe environment. Patients are offered private spaces for quiet conversations with providers, and private exits are offered in the suites to grant solitude for patients who may have received emotional news. 

The theme of nature is on display throughout the facility, evoking a sense of comfort through biophilic design. Walls are accented by shades of blue, contrasting against hardwood and taupe-colored flooring. The Infusion Center’s open bays and the neighboring Integrative Wellness windows look onto green space that provides peaceful views for staff, patients and families. A spiral chandelier constructed of leaves cascades down into the main lobby, accentuating the survivorship bell, which patients ring when entering recovery from cancer.  

As a multidisciplinary facility, it was essential for the design to blend spaces for staff efficiency while dedicating other areas for patient comfort. 

“We think the design incorporates both,” said the project management team regarding cohesion and separation found in the design. “There are separate and distinct practices but where adjacencies are necessary, the links to support efficient care are supported by the space.” 

Clinics in the breast cancer and breast-imaging areas are separated, but an adjacent back corridor features a conjoining hallway for collaboration between radiologists, surgeons and oncologists allowing staff with dual appointments or urgent scenarios to flow between the departments, providing patients with quick care.  

Promise Project 

The Sandra R. Berman Pavilion is part of GBMC HealthCare’s Promise Project, which aimed to bring cutting-edge healthcare to Baltimore. 

The Louis and Phyllis Friedman Building, a 117,000-square-foot, $73 million hospital extension and addition project, was the second part of the project. The facility, which broke ground in 2021 and opened doors in 2023, includes three stories of inpatient services, 60 patient rooms, advanced technology, public areas, research space and more. Clinical floor units were designed with the flexibility to transition to intermediate care acuity when needed. 

A marquee feature of the building is its three-story, light-filled atrium that greets visitors upon arrival. Acting as a guide for staff, patients and family, the atrium connects those on the ground floor to the main north-south corridor and the main elevators. From the top floors, the atrium inspires navigation by aligning elevators and family waiting areas in an intuitive placement, allowing third-floor patients to look out onto the entire space. 

“Our team of project management professionals and clinical experts were all deeply invested in the success of these major capital projects,” said Aimee Fogarty, Hammes Healthcare regional vice president, whose team provided project management, in a statement. “It’s been an honor to work alongside GBMC and is rewarding to see how these projects are already having a positive impact on staff and patients.”