Bexar County is one of Texas' fastest-growing counties. By 2030, it is predicted to be home to 2.5 million residents. Bexar and the seven adjacent counties will have 3.2 million inhabitants, a 28% increase. And this will have a severe impact on resources, especially medical facilities.

University Hospital, a subdivision of the State of Texas, is the most preferred hospital in San Antonio. It's  top-tier doctors and nurses provide the highest quality of care, leading to a steady rise in the number of patients since 2014.

To accommodate the growing population, a new expansion project has begun.

A joint venture comprising Turner Construction, Byrne Construction Services, and Straight Line Management officially commenced work on a $550 million hospital project in San Antonio, Texas. The groundbreaking ceremony for the University Health Palo Alto Hospital campus was held last month, marking the start of a significant healthcare development in the region.

The new hospital, set to open its doors to patients in 2027, will be a state-of-the-art, five-story tower. It will house an emergency room, labor and delivery suites, a neonatal intensive care unit, operating rooms, inpatient rooms, a lab and radiology department, and an attached medical office building. This development aims to cater to the rapidly growing Southside San Antonio community. The inpatient department would be expanded to house 286 patients from 166.

Marques Mitchell, Senior Director at Turner Construction Company, expressed his excitement about the project. "The Palo Alto Hospital will increase access to much-needed healthcare for Southside residents. We look forward to working with our joint venture partners and the hundreds of trade workers on this project," he said.

The hospital campus is strategically located adjacent to Texas A&M University-San Antonio. The university is concurrently constructing a $45 million College of Education and Public Health, which will enhance the training of healthcare professionals and facilitate medical research in the region.

The owner of Palo Alto Hospital, University Health, operates as a political subdivision within the State of Texas. It is the only locally owned and operated health system in San Antonio and Bexar Count. 

To meet the increasing demand for health services, University Health is currently constructing two new community hospitals: Palo Alto and Retama Community Hospital on San Antonio's northeast side. Each hospital will offer at least 160 beds and cover 480,000 square feet, with an additional 105,000 square feet allocated for medical office buildings.

The plans for the University Health Palo Alto Hospital campus represent a significant step towards improving healthcare services for Southside San Antonio residents. The project, once completed, will undoubtedly serve as a beacon of progress and development in the region.