From OWH:
Boys Town breaks ground for new hospital
OWH wrote:BY RICK RUGGLES
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Girls and Boys Town broke ground Thursday on a 22-bed hospital to treat children with a combination of physical disability and behavioral problems.
Dr. Patrick Brookhouser, Girls and Boys Town's health care director, said the hospital, called Boys Town National Research Hospital West, will serve children from around the nation.
The hospital, to be completed in late summer 2006, is the first major new construction on the Boys Town campus in west Omaha since the late 1980s.
Many children with physical disabilities also have behavioral problems because they have been neglected and abused, Brookhouser said.
Surgery and medical treatment for their disabilities will be provided at the hospital. New strategies for dealing with their behavioral problems also will be developed.
The hospital will contain 50,000 square feet of space and will be mostly on one level.
Boys Town National Research Hospital at 555 N. 30th St. works with children who have communication disabilities. That hospital has 170,000 square feet of space, including research areas, and currently functions with 24 beds.
I'm acctually begining to wonder if this isn't something different than what I was talking about. I'll have to confur with my source to see if we should be expecting commercial developments with this as well (see: the thread I previously linked to).
Anyone know what is going on at the Boys Town land along Pacific Street between 144th and 138th? I drove by there just a little bit ago and they were moving dirt. They were about to put up a sign, but I didn't have time to wait and see what it was.
I noticed at thanksgiving and again today, there's some building going up right off of Pacific street at boys town. I haven't found anything with a couple quick searches - anyone know what this is?
boystownhospital.org wrote:Girls and Boys Town broke ground on Thursday, March 31, to build a 50,000-square-foot specialized healthcare facility for children with disabilities. Located in the world-famous Village of Boys Town, Neb., the new Boys Town National Research Hospital West will include a short-stay surgical hospital, radiology center, and an outpatient medical facility.
The new facility will house the National Treatment Center for Abused and Neglected Children with Disabilities. This center will offer medical, surgical and behavioral health services that address both a child’s physical disabilities and the behavioral consequences from prior injuries. It will be designed to accommodate the physical, educational and emotional needs of these youngsters.
Dr. Patrick Brookhouser, Director of Health Care for Girls and Boys Town, said, “This new facility will enable the Hospital staff to broaden their range of care and treatment for childhood disabilities, encompassing potentially crippling disabilities and deformities. A significant percentage of these have resulted from trauma, including physical abuse sustained by these children earlier in life.”
“The Girls and Boys Town National Board of Trustees is very proud of this much-needed facility,” said Board Chairman John J. Gillin, of Atlanta, Georgia. “It will greatly enhance Girls and Boys Town’s mission of helping more children across the United States.”
Dr. Brookhouser also announced the recruitment of a nationally renowned pediatrician, Dr. Thomas Tonniges, a native Nebraskan, as Director of the newly formed Boys Town Institute for Child Health Improvement. He is currently Associate Executive Director in charge of International and Interprofessional Activities for the Chicago-based 60,000-member American Academy of Pediatrics. The goal of the Institute, also located in Boys Town National Research Hospital West, is to develop and disseminate better models of comprehensive care for children with special physical and behavioral healthcare needs.
“Children with special health needs constitute about 13 percent of the U.S. pediatric and adolescent population but the services they require consume nearly 60 percent of all expenditures for child healthcare in this country,” according to Dr. Brookhouser. “The new Institute for Child Health Improvement will develop more cost-effective strategies for primary healthcare providers to use in caring for this segment of the population.”
“In a sense, the Center and the Institute are the culmination of a vision of Monsignor Nicholas Wegner, Girls and Boys Town’s second Executive Director, to establish a facility on the Girls and Boys Town Home Campus to help children with disabilities,” said Father Val Peter, Girls and Boys Town’s Executive Director.
“In 1967, Monsignor Wegner made front-page news breaking ground on the former Girls and Boys Town property north of Dodge Street for a facility to care for children with handicaps,” said Father Peter. “In Monsignor Wegner’s remarks, he said the new facility was for ‘homeless boys who did not have the capacity to learn regular academic subjects. These boys should, and must, be given special instruction to enable them to earn a livelihood and live a useful life.’”
At the event, Vice President Hubert Humphrey turned over the first spade full of dirt, and his wife, Muriel, gave the groundbreaking address. The project was put on hold when its newly appointed director, a Christian Brother, was killed in an auto accident and his Order was unable to provide replacement staff.
“Monsignor Wegner’s vision of helping handicapped children then found new expression in 1972,” Father Peter said, “when he announced what was then called the Boys Town National Institute for Communication Disorders in Children. To serve as the Institute’s founding director, Dr. Brookhouser was recruited from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.”
Anyone else see the project from Dodge recently? Looks like a 3 floor steel structure is going up. They had boards highlighting the project, but I couldn't catch them as I went by.
Some work at the Boystown Hospital West (on the Boystown campus) has begun to prepare for the eventual move out from CUMC. Here's how I understand things from talking to a couple of folks with knowledge of the situation:
-Freestanding clinics / buildings down near the CUMC campus will continue to operate. That includes the Leid Learning center, and associated programs - Center for Childhood deafness, cochlear implant clinic, preschool.
-Anything physically within the CUMC building, including all surgical services, will relocate to the Boystown Hospital West campus.
What does this entail for the west campus?
-construction currently underway for additional access road (going behind the building), and more parking to the West of the building
-once additional parking is complete, there will be an addition off the front of the building on the hospital end. This will allow for construction of several additional surgical suites to make up for the additional volume that will be moving from CUMC site.
Boys Town officials said Wednesday that a three-story, $30 million education center will be built on campus.
Demolition of the current Boys Town High School will begin immediately to make way for the 110,000-square-foot facility. The new building is expected to open in August 2023 and will bring all approximately 350 students on campus under one roof.
“This new education center will help Boys Town continue to provide a safe and inspiring learning experience for our students,” said the Rev. Steven Boes, Boys Town’s national executive director. “We continue to make improvements on our campus as the needs of our children change.”
Boys Town officials said Wednesday that a three-story, $30 million education center will be built on campus.
Demolition of the current Boys Town High School will begin immediately to make way for the 110,000-square-foot facility. The new building is expected to open in August 2023 and will bring all approximately 350 students on campus under one roof.
“This new education center will help Boys Town continue to provide a safe and inspiring learning experience for our students,” said the Rev. Steven Boes, Boys Town’s national executive director. “We continue to make improvements on our campus as the needs of our children change.”
Dumb question that I didn't see in any of the news coverage on this new High School. Tear down will happen immediately. New school opening in Aug '23. Where will the kids go to school for the next 2 years?
Boys Town officials said Wednesday that a three-story, $30 million education center will be built on campus.
Demolition of the current Boys Town High School will begin immediately to make way for the 110,000-square-foot facility. The new building is expected to open in August 2023 and will bring all approximately 350 students on campus under one roof.
“This new education center will help Boys Town continue to provide a safe and inspiring learning experience for our students,” said the Rev. Steven Boes, Boys Town’s national executive director. “We continue to make improvements on our campus as the needs of our children change.”
Dumb question that I didn't see in any of the news coverage on this new High School. Tear down will happen immediately. New school opening in Aug '23. Where will the kids go to school for the next 2 years?
Based on the article, it sounds like students attend classes throughout the classes, so, there shouldn't be any disruptions. I am not super familiar with how Boys Town works, that's just what I gleaned from the article.
Anyone know what is being built at 144th & Pacific west of the Boys Town National Research Hospital? There has been some dirt movement, a bunch of trees removed along Pacific, and a new driveway from Pacific just east of 144th put in. Seems like some addition to the hospital, but haven't found anything about it.
BRoss wrote: Wed Jun 18, 2025 10:54 pm
Anyone know what is being built at 144th & Pacific west of the Boys Town National Research Hospital? There has been some dirt movement, a bunch of trees removed along Pacific, and a new driveway from Pacific just east of 144th put in. Seems like some addition to the hospital, but haven't found anything about it.
Been wondering that too. Seems like a big project. Got to assume its something hospital related, but don't see anything listed on either the main Boystown or BTNRH websites... Darn own municipality and not having to go to Omaha planning boards for approval take most normal sources for this sort of thing out of play...
The City of Omaha is reviewing new plans for a portion of the Heartwood Preserve development. Developers are seeking approval of a preliminary plat southwest of 144th & Pacific Street. The multi-use development will be anchored by two medical office buildings totaling 180,000 sq. ft. Additionally, plans show six standalone retail buildings and a 5,500 sq. ft. restaurant. A 2-story, 120,000 sq. ft., mixed-use building on the southwest corner of the site will have ground-floor retail space, a parking garage and multi-family units on the second floor. – Isaiah Ang
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
The City of Omaha is reviewing new plans for a portion of the Heartwood Preserve development. Developers are seeking approval of a preliminary plat southwest of 144th & Pacific Street. The multi-use development will be anchored by two medical office buildings totaling 180,000 sq. ft. Additionally, plans show six standalone retail buildings and a 5,500 sq. ft. restaurant. A 2-story, 120,000 sq. ft., mixed-use building on the southwest corner of the site will have ground-floor retail space, a parking garage and multi-family units on the second floor. – Isaiah Ang
If it's connected to the Boys Town Hospital, it would be northeast of 144th & Pacific.
The City of Omaha is reviewing new plans for a portion of the Heartwood Preserve development. Developers are seeking approval of a preliminary plat southwest of 144th & Pacific Street. The multi-use development will be anchored by two medical office buildings totaling 180,000 sq. ft. Additionally, plans show six standalone retail buildings and a 5,500 sq. ft. restaurant. A 2-story, 120,000 sq. ft., mixed-use building on the southwest corner of the site will have ground-floor retail space, a parking garage and multi-family units on the second floor. – Isaiah Ang
Ben wrote: Thu Jun 19, 2025 8:29 am
Darn own municipality and not having to go to Omaha planning boards for approval take most normal sources for this sort of thing out of play...
Ben wrote: Thu Jun 19, 2025 8:29 am
Darn own municipality and not having to go to Omaha planning boards for approval take most normal sources for this sort of thing out of play...
That's what I was thinking too.
They still need a grading permit and here is what that grading permit says:
"Site improvements (grading, utilities, pavement, etc.) associated with the proposed Research Renewal and Clinical Expansion to the existing Boys Town National Research Hospital."
Brad wrote: Thu Jun 19, 2025 12:09 pm
They still need a grading permit and here is what that grading permit says:
"Site improvements (grading, utilities, pavement, etc.) associated with the proposed Research Renewal and Clinical Expansion to the existing Boys Town National Research Hospital."
Also
Estimated overall project duration (Months): 36
Figured you'd know where to find something about this. Thanks!
I have a contact who is Dr with Boys Town. Reached out to her, and what I was told this morning is that the work going on now is for relocation of employee parking in prep for a major hospital expansion. She is going to see if she can learn any more, and let me know
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
They have plans to expand their space by approximately 2X, with a target completion of 2027. Two buildings ( towers) on each side of the existing facility.
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
Saw when driving down 144th tonight that they added a left turn lane at the signal for Millard North for going into the hospital. Appears they are turning this T intersection into a four-way.
Grow Omaha is reporting that there will be a groundbreaking ceremony tomorrow for a $300 million expansion of the National Research Hospital:
Grow Omaha wrote:
Boys Town will hold a groundbreaking ceremony tomorrow afternoon, marking the start of a $300 million, 254,000 sq. ft. expansion of Boys Town National Research Hospital’s West Campus northeast of 144th & Pacific Street. The project – funded in part by a major gift from the Ryan Family Foundation – will add hospital beds, surgical suites and research space, allowing Boys Town to care for more patients, grow its medical staff and unite research and clinical care in one location.
That's what I was thinking too.
