JOHNSON CITY, TN — The Nashville, Tennessee, area office of Skanska, one of the world’s largest construction and development companies, celebrated a major milestone with the topping out ceremony for the Niswonger Children’s Hospital expansion project for Ballad Health. This event signifies the completion of vertical construction, marking a pivotal achievement as the project advances on schedule toward its anticipated completion in October 2025.
Skanska is at the helm of a $30 million construction management project, transforming the current facility with a three-story, 40,000-square-foot vertical expansion. This new addition will house the Regional Center for Neonatal Care, dedicated to providing specialized care for children across the region with complex illnesses. As the newest NICU in both Tennessee and Virginia, the center is designed with family-friendly features, including private spaces for parents and siblings to stay while their loved ones receive care, along with additional areas to support comprehensive treatment.
“The Niswonger Children’s Hospital project will make a generational impact on Johnson City and the surrounding area, and we are very proud of the work our team has done,” said Dennis Georgatos, Senior Vice President - Account Manager at Skanska USA Building. “With this expansion, the hospital will provide a state-of-the-art NICU and enhanced health care services for children across the Appalachian Highlands. We’re proud to have safely and efficiently reached this important topping out milestone, taking us one step closer to completion of these magnificent facilities. We are immensely grateful for our partnership with Ballad Health, who have been exceptional collaborators throughout this project.”
In addition to the upgraded facility and structural additions, the project also includes metal facade, precast concrete, HVAC, and infrastructure upgrades. Children suffering from complex medical conditions will benefit from more streamlined and coordinated care at the Regional Center for Pediatric Specialties, where various physician specialists are located. Additionally, this facility will serve as an effective recruitment tool to draw pediatric specialists to Niswonger Children’s Hospital.
