Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center, Athens, Ga., broke ground today on the final phase of its $171 million expansion and renovation project, which includes replacing the oldest section of the hospital – built 100 years ago – with a new, seven-story patient tower.

In October 2018, Piedmont Athens Regional officially kicked off the expansion and renovation project, with the first phase including the addition of a new patient unit on the hospital’s Prince Tower II, located on the corner of Prince and King avenues. With the final phase, the hospital’s construction team – DPR Construction – will begin the process of building the new patient tower, replacing what is known as the 1919 Tower.

The 1919 Tower, which is a section of the hospital’s Prince Tower I, is currently the oldest section of the hospital, built 100 years ago when the hospital first opened as a three-story, 100-bed community hospital that featured two operating rooms, a delivery room and a 24-member medical staff. The new tower that will replace the 1919 Tower will stand seven-stories high, which includes a basement and lobby level, and will feature state-of-the-art equipment and replace outdated patient and staff areas. It also will improve wayfinding and the overall experience for patients, visitors, and staff.

Piedmont Athens Regional’s new patient tower will also feature a retail pharmacy, café and resource center for patients and visitors. Construction is estimated to be completed in 2022. Once complete, the hospital’s capacity will remain at 359 beds.