The CHOC NICU Phase 1 project introduced a 25,000-square-foot, Level 4 neonatal intensive care unit on the fourth floor of the Bill Holmes Tower in Orange, California. The expansion nearly tripled the size of CHOC’s previous NICU and features 36 private patient rooms designed to support high-acuity neonatal care while providing families with greater privacy and the ability to remain close to their newborns.

The unit incorporates specialized spaces to accommodate a range of critical-care needs, including three rooms capable of being converted for surgical procedures, ECMO capabilities, and adjoining rooms that can accommodate triplets. Private rooms also provide sleeping quarters and storage for families, reinforcing CHOC’s family-centered approach to neonatal care.