St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is moving forward with plans to build a massive new research facility on its Memphis campus, part of a long-term effort to expand its ability to develop treatments and cures for childhood diseases.
The hospital announced it will construct an $810 million Advanced Research Center II (ARC II), a high-rise facility expected to be completed in 2029. According to a report from Becker’s Hospital Review, the project will stand about 280 feet tall and span roughly 865,000 square feet, making it one of the largest buildings on the campus.
Once finished, the tower will feature 17 stories, including 13 floors dedicated to research laboratories and support space. Plans call for approximately 130 lab spaces, significantly increasing the hospital’s research capacity. Additional floors are being reserved for future expansion.
Hospital officials say the new center will complement the existing Inspiration4 Advanced Research Center, a 625,000-square-foot building completed in 2021 as part of the organization’s broader growth strategy.
The expansion is tied to St. Jude’s multiyear strategic plan, which includes billions in investments aimed at advancing research, patient care, and global outreach. The hospital has already invested more than $1 billion in campus construction projects over the past five years, with additional developments currently underway.
Construction activity is already progressing, with multiple permits filed for different phases of the project. A recent $187 million permit covers interior buildout and landscaping, while earlier filings addressed the building’s foundation and structural components.
Memphis Business Journal reported that Boston-based Elkus Manfredi Architects is leading the design, and W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company has been named the general contractor.
The facility will be built on a 5.8-acre site within the St. Jude campus near the intersection of A.W. Willis Avenue and North Danny Thomas Boulevard. The location previously housed several smaller buildings that have since been cleared to make way for the project.
St. Jude President and CEO James Downing said construction is expected to wrap up in early 2029, with staff beginning to move into the building shortly after.
Beyond expanding research capabilities, the project is also expected to drive job growth. Hospital leaders estimate the expansion could add roughly 2,000 positions over time, building on a current workforce of about 8,000 employees.
The new research tower represents one of the largest components of St. Jude’s ongoing campus transformation, reinforcing its role as a leading institution in pediatric research and treatment.
