Steel work marks a major construction milestone for the $1.2-billion healthcare facility.

The Barton Malow | Edifice joint venture team has begun structural steel work at Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s future Roper Hospital campus in North Charleston, marking a pivotal milestone in the construction of the $1.2 billion facility. The start of steel work signals the project’s transition from below-grade construction to its vertical rise, bringing the building’s form to life on the 27-acre site.

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The first steel is placed on Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s future Roper Hospital campus in North Charleston.

The new campus, designed by E4H Environments for Health Architecture (a MOREgroup Brand) and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), will deliver 805,000 SF of advanced healthcare space for the Lowcountry community. The building will include 328 inpatient beds, a 47-bay emergency department, 44 critical care beds, 18 operating rooms, a comprehensive imaging department, and a 12-bay hemodialysis unit. Completion is targeted for 2029.

“Beginning structural steel is a moment every project team works toward. It’s when the community will start to see the building take shape as a place they will receive care,” says Dan Buchta, Barton Malow | Edifice Vice President of Project Delivery. “We’re proud to hit this milestone on schedule and look forward to continuing to build on the momentum.”

Barton Malow | Edifice is leading construction of the Roper Hospital campus using a target-value delivery method, which allows the team to adapt design components while maintaining budget and schedule integrity. The approach has been instrumental in navigating site-specific challenges, including complex seismic conditions, FAA height restrictions, and a high-water table.

The campus masterplan is organized around a central pedestrian green belt that links the site’s three parcels with shaded walkways, gardens, and plazas. The architecture and interiors draw from the native flora and historic street spaces of the Lowcountry, creating a patient-centered environment designed for healing.

The future Roper Hospital in North Charleston will be the fourth location for the facility since it opened in downtown Charleston in 1856, continuing a nearly 200-year tradition of serving the region.

About Barton Malow

Barton Malow has been living its core purpose of Building Today for a Better Tomorrow: People, Projects, and Communities for more than 100 years. The Barton Malow construction enterprise is comprised of 3,000 team members strategically positioned throughout North America. Barton Malow remains committed to delivering innovative, trust-based solutions that generate long-term value for our partners and the communities we serve.

About Edifice Construction

Edifice Construction is a regional general contractor headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, with offices in Charleston and Greenville, South Carolina. Since its inception in 1978, Edifice has grown to become one of the leading commercial contractors in the Southeast and is an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 400 U.S. General Contractor. With a diverse portfolio in all major markets, Edifice teams excel in projects ranging from interior renovations to complex multi-faceted structures.

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Steel is rising in North Charleston — marking a pivotal milestone in the construction of Roper St. Francis Healthcare's $1.2 billion future hospital campus.