Westchester Medical Center Breaks Ground on $220 Million Critical Care Tower

Congratulations to BCW Member Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) on the groundbreaking Wednesday to commemorate the start of construction of the Critical Care Tower at Westchester Medical Center, a $220 million project that will span 162,000 square feet and rise five stories when complete.

Located adjacent to Westchester Medical Center’s Main Tower, the Critical Care Tower will house 128 private, state-of-the-art patient rooms—all equipped with the latest and most advanced medical technologies for intensive care. The Critical Care Tower will facilitate the conversion of Westchester Medical Center’s entire inpatient service to all-private rooms, enhancing patient privacy and comfort. Aptly named the “Tower to Heal,” the Critical Care Tower at Westchester Medical Center is a significant milestone in the advancement of critical care services.

Among those attending the milestone event were New York Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, Senator Peter Harckham, Senator Shelley Mayer and other state, county and local elected officials, key community influencers, and WMC leadership.

“Advanced care is Westchester Medical Center’s bedrock service and as we break ground on the Critical Care Tower, we reaffirm Westchester Medical Center’s enduring legacy as the region’s unquestioned leader in advanced care,” said Michael D. Israel, President and Chief Executive Officer, WMCHealth. “This project is not just about bricks and mortar; it’s about our unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of our community. The Critical Care Tower will stand as a testament to our continued leadership, providing ultramodern facilities for critical care that will impact lives for years to come.”

“As the sole Level I trauma center in the Hudson Valley, Westchester Medical Center provides critical care to millions of New Yorkers,” said New York State Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado. “I was proud to join Westchester Medical Center at today’s groundbreaking, which is a significant step in expanding lifesaving care for Hudson Valley residents who are too often forced to travel far from home to receive treatment.” 

“We are proud to stand with our colleagues at Westchester Medical Center to cut the ribbon on a project that ultimately will save lives in Westchester,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer. “We all saw what happened in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and realized that having the ability to surge in capacity at a moment’s notice was critical. The County was able to assist in the financing of WMCHealth’s Critical Care Tower with tax-exempt bonds through our Industrial Development Agency, and it is our hope that this new facility will provide the highest quality critical care to the patients that need it.”

The Westchester County Local Development Corporation estimated that Westchester County will receive more than $3.5 million in total economic benefits from the creation of the Critical Care Tower at Westchester Medical Center, and the project is also estimated to create more than 770 construction jobs and 127 new full-time jobs.

The Critical Care Tower at Westchester Medical Center will house several notable services, including advanced cardiac, neuroscience, oncology, and surgical specialty care. Additionally, Westchester Medical Center serves as the region’s Level I trauma center, and all trauma intensive care services will relocate to the Critical Care Tower.

Anticipated to be completed in 2026, the Critical Care Tower is the second major structural and service addition to Westchester Medical Center in less than a decade. This follows the successful completion of the eight-story, $230 million Ambulatory Care Pavilion in 2019.