OHSU’s Marquam Hill campus is growing. Our Hospital Expansion Project will increase our ability to care for Oregonians of all ages while supporting our research and education missions.

About the project

We’re adding:

More hospital beds. A new 14-story building will add 128 patient beds, with space to add up to 64 more beds. With the 562 beds we already have, that will bring us to more than 750 beds when the project is done. The building is on the former School of Dentistry site on Campus Drive. It will connect by sky bridges to OHSU Hospital and Kohler Pavilion.

More space for cancer care and complex surgeries. Our cancer and complex surgery services will move to the new building from Kohler Pavilion. This will open more space in Kohler Pavilion for brain and heart care.

More space for newborn care. An addition to OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital will include a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for newborns who need extra care. We are also looking at ways to expand our pregnancy care, from conception to birth.

Why we’re expanding

OHSU has been at or near capacity for adults for years. Based on our population, Oregon is one of the states with the fewest adult hospital beds.

In 2019, the OHSU board approved funding to design the expansion. Then the COVID-19 pandemic put the project on hold. Since then, the need for more hospital beds has become more urgent.

Expansion will:

• Give more people access to advanced care, including complex but nonurgent surgery.
• Meet the needs of Oregon’s aging population.
• Keep up with growth in the Portland area and beyond.
• Put OHSU’s capacity on par with that of similar health care institutions on the West Coast.

Project timeline

October 2021: OHSU’s board of directors approves the first parts of the project.

January 2022: Construction starts on new 14-story building.

2026: Expected completion of new building.

Project funding

OHSU’s board has approved $650 million for the new building.  

It will consider $330 million for the Doernbecher addition.