The South Tower at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore is a new six-story, in-patient facility with 101 beds comprising four inpatient units, shell space for future expansion, a mechanical penthouse, and a helipad built above the existing emergency department. Constructed in phases, it is linked to the general hospital at each floor via connections to individual inpatient units and through a new public connection which realizes an 8,000 sf atrium. The atrium offers a natural light filled public space located adjacent to the cafeteria. It features a 40-foot-tall water wall as a focal point and welcomes visitors to the redesigned Hess Garden located directly outside of the atrium entrance.

The first step in a complex, multiphase effort was to expand and improve the services of Sinai Hospital to the community, the new tower features all private-inpatient rooms (for floors three, four, and six) designed around a decentralized nursing concept, with nursing alcoves outside each patient room for faster and more efficient responses. Each floor was designed to meet a specific purpose and function. The new units include:  

• The Cardiology Intervention Unit containing three existing cath labs, relocated from the general hospital, and two new cath labs, along with enclosed recovery bays, offices, a staff lounge, and a waiting area.
• The Neuroscience Unit combines the hospital’s recognized neurological services in a 36-bed all-private-room unit.
• A new, relocated Intensive Care Unit includes 29 patient rooms, a doctor’s conference room, a staff conference room, four on-call sleep rooms, offices, and support areas.

The Intermediate Care Unit was relocated from the general hospital to make room for the expansion of the Surgery Department and to improve patient/public flow and accommodates 36 beds in private rooms, four of which can be used as negative pressure isolation rooms.