Barnes-Jewish Hospital Unveils State-of-the-Art Patient Care Tower

ST. LOUIS (September 18, 2025) – Plaza West Tower, the new 16-story patient care tower at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, will welcome patients beginning in October. The tower will provide private rooms for heart and vascular patients, advanced imaging, and the latest in surgical preparation and recovery. Plaza West Tower is designed to enhance the experience for patients and their families under the expert care of WashU Medicine physicians and BJC HealthCare clinical teams.

As a major referral center in the Midwest, and the fifth largest hospital in the country, Barnes-Jewish Hospital provides advanced care for patients with complex conditions, making facilities like the Plaza West Tower vital. Internationally recognized WashU Medicine physicians lead this effort, driving innovation through clinical expertise, pioneering new therapies and advancing research that shapes the future of care. Together BJH and WashU also play a significant role in training the next generation of health care professionals.

The new state-of-the-art facility offers 224 private inpatient rooms and 56 private intensive care unit rooms, advanced imaging, and the latest in surgical preparation and recovery. WashU Medicine physicians serve as the exclusive physician providers at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, where they bring world-renowned expertise — informed by the latest research discoveries — to the care of patients with the most complex medical conditions.

“BJC and WashU Medicine are where patients turn when answers can’t be found elsewhere,” said Nick Barto, BJC Health System President. “The Plaza West Tower represents the power of academic medicine combined with our unwavering commitment to elevating patient care and improving the health of the communities we serve. It is an outstanding beacon in the community of all BJC and WashU represent.”

Barnes-Jewish Hospital, WashU Medicine, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and Missouri Baptist Hospital’s Graduate Medical Education consortium is one of the largest in the United States offering 111 accredited programs and providing 1,476 residents and fellows the opportunity to train alongside specialists who are driving innovation and shaping the future of medicine.

"Plaza West Tower strengthens the ability of WashU Medicine and BJC to deliver world-class care," said Dr. Paul Scheel, CEO of WashU Medicine Physicians and President of WashU Medicine & BJC HealthCare Physician Provider Organization. "In this new space, WashU Medicine physicians will work seamlessly with multidisciplinary care teams, providing patients with expert, coordinated treatment— all in a supportive environment.”

A key benefit of Plaza West Tower will be the expansion of the critical care bed space for patients awaiting or recovering from advanced treatments including heart transplants, valve repairs or replacements, and minimally invasive procedures. In addition, state-of-the-art imaging capabilities, and utilization of the latest technologies will improve surgical flow and enhance patient experience.

“The growing demand for critical care requires facilities that are as sophisticated and innovative as the care that we offer,” said, Dr. John Lynch, president of Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “The enhancements in Plaza West Tower are designed to foster collaboration among caregivers, which ultimately benefits our patients.”

The new tower is also designed to accommodate surges in patient volume and the need for isolation in the event of future pandemics. Frontline staff, including nurses, infection-prevention specialists and housekeeping teams, contributed their expertise to plans for the new tower.

Noteworthy design elements of Plaza West Tower also include:

• Private inpatient rooms designed with heart and vascular patients in mind
• Advanced bedside technology, allowing caregivers to spend more time with patients
• Family-friendly spaces to keep loved ones close and comfortable
  • A family area with kitchenette, rest areas, showers, and laundry room
  • A new cafeteria
• Two outdoor rooftop gardens
• Panoramic views of Forest Park from quiet seating areas on every inpatient floor
• A calming environment with natural light, art, and views – all evidence-based elements for faster healing and reduced stress

More than 3,700 architects, engineers, project managers, skilled trades men and women, apprentices, and interns were engaged in the construction of the tower, providing significant economic impact to the region in addition to the clinical and patient benefits the project brings.

Plaza West Tower is located on the site of the former Queeny Tower and is part of BJC HealthCare’s Campus Renewal, a long-term vision to transform the Washington University Medical Campus through new construction and renovations, with an overall focus on improving the experiences of patients and families. To date, the phases of the Campus Renewal Project have had an economic impact of nearly $2.0 billion, adding to the more than $20 billion total economic impact by BJC Health System across the communities BJC serves.

The design of the tower complements Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s Parkview Tower and the St. Louis Children’s Hospital expansion, which opened in early 2018, and completes the unified architecture and skyline for the Washington University Medical Campus from Forest Park Avenue to Barnes-Jewish Plaza.

Barnes-Jewish Hospital is ranked as the number one hospital in Missouri by U.S. News & World Report.

About BJC Health System

BJC Health System is one of the largest integrated academic health care organizations in the United States and the largest private employer in the state of Missouri. Headquartered in St. Louis, MO, BJC and its 47,000 employees operate in two regions as BJC HealthCare in the East and Saint Luke’s in the West. Its dedication to improving urban, suburban and rural communities across Missouri, southern Illinois and eastern Kansas is supported by more than $1.2 billion in annual community investment. BJC’s long-standing affiliation with the nationally-renowned Washington University in St. Louis and its School of Medicine powers its academic mission in the East, most notably at U.S. News & World Report ranked Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital; as well as at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the state of Missouri. In the West region, Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City serves as the primary training site for UMKC School of Medicine. BJC is consistently recognized as a great place to work, from Newsweek’s ‘America’s Greatest Workplaces’ to Forbes’ list of ‘Best Large Employers.’

About Washington University School of Medicine

WashU Medicine is a global leader in academic medicine, including biomedical research, patient care and educational programs with 2,900 faculty. Its National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding portfolio is the second largest among U.S. medical schools and has grown 83% since 2016. Together with institutional investment, WashU Medicine commits well over $1 billion annually to basic and clinical research innovation and training. Its faculty practice is consistently within the top five in the country, with more than 1,900 faculty physicians practicing at 130 locations. WashU Medicine physicians exclusively staff Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals — the academic hospitals of BJC HealthCare — and treat patients at BJC’s community hospitals in our region. WashU Medicine has a storied history in MD/PhD training, recently dedicated $100 million to scholarships and curriculum renewal for its medical students, and is home to top-notch training programs in every medical subspecialty as well as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and audiology and communications sciences.