Photo: The tower includes a 68-bed Adult Emergency Department, 96 intensive care beds, a second helipad and 18 new operating rooms. | Photo Credit: Allan Stone and HSC Communications
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico Hospital officially cut the ribbon Oct. 1 on its new Critical Care Tower, a 570,000-square-foot facility that represents the largest expansion of the hospital in 15 years.
The tower, which welcomed its first patients Oct. 5, adds significant capacity to the state’s only Level I trauma center. The expansion includes a 68-bed Adult Emergency Department, 96 intensive care beds, a second helipad and 18 new operating rooms.
“The UNM Hospital Critical Care Tower is the instrument for making sure that we have good rural health care delivery,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham at the ceremony. “Whatever emergency comes our way, this campus, this university, this state will be ready.”
First proposed in 2015, the project required years of planning and construction. Hundreds of engineers, tradespeople, and hospital staff contributed to the facility’s completion, which combines advanced medical technology with spaces designed for patients, families and health education.
“It’s been incredible to see all the pieces of the CCT come to life — from the installation of high-tech medical equipment to the hanging of beautiful art pieces that now brighten up the walls,” said UNM Hospital CEO Kate Becker. “The opening of the Critical Care Tower is possible because of your commitment to improving health care services for all.”
The facility also features The Sky Campus, a dedicated fourth-floor space designed for medical education, training, and staff support. The area includes private rest rooms for residents, secure lockers, eating lounges, and meeting rooms.
UNM Health System Chief Executive Officer Mike Richards, M.D., said the new tower will not only expand clinical care but also enhance the university’s role as a teaching hospital. He emphasized that the facility will serve as a hub for the UNM School of Medicine, as well as pharmacy, nursing, and public health programs.
UNM President Garnett S. Stokes said the opening marks a milestone for both patient care and education. “This is a special place, the embodiment of the kind of health care providers and educators we are — as well as the kind we still aspire to be,” Stokes said.