Demolition is now currently underway for what will become the R.M. Schulze Family Cardiovascular and Stroke Critical Care Center at NCH's downtown campus. The five-story, 189,000-square-foot facility designed to consolidate heart and stroke services while keeping them near the city's busiest areas is expected to cost $265 million. It is primarily funded through donations.
“The new facility will be home to one of the top cardiac and stroke programs in the United States. We are training 80 resident fellows right now, and we have 50 clinical trials in progress. This project will save lives and impact the community for decades to come," said Paul Hiltz, CEO of NCH.
The institute will include medical offices, treatment rooms, scientific laboratories, and a parking garage. NCH officials say the project aims to meet the growing demand for heart and stroke care in Southwest Florida.
The facility's approval faced delays in the city council, taking over a year due to concerns about its height — double the city’s code requirement — and potential traffic impacts.
According to NCH, 70% of heart attacks and strokes occur within a 10-mile radius of the hospital. The hospital’s “Save-A-Heart” program has achieved a door-to-balloon time of 68 minutes, significantly faster than the 90-minute standard, ensuring quicker treatment for patients experiencing cardiac emergencies. The institute is expected to handle a 13% increase in inpatient care and a 33% increase in outpatient care.
“People say, ‘I owe my life to blank.’ I owe my life to NCH ... Being the place that brought me back, I wanted to voice my thoughts on the new building. I was 100% for it," said James Kurnik, a former NCH patient who suffered cardiac arrest in 2023.
Construction is set to be completed by the end of 2027. Demolition will be done gradually over time without explosives, to minimize dust and the impacts to nearby homes.