AMES — The University of Iowa sought Iowa Board of Regents approval on the construction of multiple UI Health Care facilities at the board’s meeting on April 22 at Iowa State University.
The first is a $7 million project that will create a new facility to move the Grounds Department from its current location in Hospital Parking Ramp 1.
According to board documents the project will construct a new facility adjacent to the new water tower, spanning 7,760 net square feet. The Grounds Department operates on a 24-hour basis during weather events and will include storage, offices, rest areas, break rooms and shop space .
According to the proposal, the project will improve operational efficiency by moving the function to a more appropriate site on the health care campus.
According to the board documents, the project is a prerequisite for the future demolition of Hospital Parking Ramp 1. The demolition of the parking ramp had been suspended indefinitely after changes were made to the payments the hospital received from the federal government.
UI Senior Vice President and University Architect Rod Lehnertz said the project is small and upon board approval, will start this summer.
Proposed expansion of the North Liberty Medical Center
According to board documents, the $24 million dollar project consists of two phases.
The first will consist of developing the Level 2 space into four operating rooms, four post-anesthesia care unit rooms and eight surgery prep/recovery rooms. The second phase Level 4 space into a clinical exam pod, including twelve exam rooms, one treatment room, one X-ray room and associated support spaces.
Lehnertz said the project would be funded by UI Health Care earnings and equity.
“The project and the fit out is based on increasing clinical demand and need, and is an indication of the success of the opening of the North Liberty facility,” Lehnertz said.
In the first six months of operation, the UI Health Care reported the North Liberty campus has served 55,000 patients in its clinics, admitted more than 1,500 patients, and performed more than 4,000 operations, as previously reported by The Daily Iowan.
According to UI Health Care, the North Liberty campus has seen over 8,000 operating room cases, over 9,000 emergency department visits, and over 76,000 prescriptions dispensed since it opened in April 2025 through March 28.
Upon approval, Lehnertz said the project will start later this year and continue through summer 2027.