Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s planned Close To Home outpatient center in New Albany, Ohio will bring pediatric urgent care, specialty clinics and other healthcare services together on a 25-acre campus. | Photo Credit: DLR Group
- DLR Group and RAMSA have collaborated for a planned three-story, 215,000-square-foot Close To Home outpatient center for Nationwide Children’s Hospital in New Albany, Ohio.
- The facility will combine advanced urgent care, specialty clinics, imaging, laboratory and therapy services on a donated 25-acre site.
- The design includes provisions for future program expansion, along with walking trails, dining areas and dedicated parking.
NEW ALBANY, Ohio – Nationwide Children’s Hospital is planning a three-story, 215,000-square-foot outpatient center in New Albany, Ohio, that will bring pediatric urgent care and specialty services together on one campus.
Designed by DLR Group and RAMSA, the hospital’s latest Close To Home center will occupy a 25-acre site donated by The New Albany Company and its owners, according to a Sept. 23 press release from DLR Group.
The center’s clinical offerings will include advanced urgent care, specialty clinics, imaging, laboratory services and therapy. The design places those services within a single facility while providing space for the campus to accommodate future program needs.
DLR Group’s responsibilities included architecture and interior design, along with structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering. The firm also provided signage, audiovisual and lighting design services. RAMSA, also known as Robert A.M. Stern Architects, led the building envelope and exterior design concepts. REALM Collaborative handled site design and landscape architecture.
“Together, we shaped a facility that brings advanced care to families where they live,” said Bryce Shirley, a DLR Group principal and health care design leader, according to DLR Group’s release.
The campus plan emphasizes operational efficiency and navigation, with connections to future shell space intended to accommodate program expansion. Flexibility was a priority for the design team as it considered both current services and the needs of children and families over time.
The building’s design is intended to reflect Nationwide Children’s identity while fitting the character of New Albany. The firms sought to create a care setting that feels like home, linking the hospital’s recognizable design qualities with the surrounding community.
Plans also call for dedicated parking, walking trails and dining areas. Safe vehicle circulation is another component of the campus design. Those features are intended to support wellness for patients, families and staff alongside the facility’s clinical functions.
“Designed to create a welcoming sense of place, the Close To Home center will stand as a visible expression of New Albany’s commitment to the health and wellness of children and families for generations to come,” Meghan McDermott, a RAMSA partner, said in the release.
This article is based on an emailed press release from DLR Group dated Sept. 23, 2026.