New All Children's facility set to open

ST. PETERSBURG - There are a lot of changes coming All Children's Hospital .

Construction crews are working hard to complete the new 795,000 square foot building with 259 beds.

"We had reached a point where we had to grow. And it was evident that out present building was not going to be able to handle it," said Tim Strouse, All Children's Hospital Vice President of Operations.

And there's more. Take a two minute walk southeast of the new hospital and you'll see the central energy plant. Six generators providing 18,000 horsepower—set to eventually become the life support system of the hospital if the power goes down.

"It provides generated power in an emergency to be able to run 100 percent of the building. And run all plugs and all outlets and all equipment and all services," Strouse said.

Strouse said that's more than the state mandates. This central energy plant is a facility onto itself. It will supply water, sewer and power to the hospital and out patient building for up to two weeks without refueling.

It's the first line of defense, if a storm makes landfall in Pinellas County.

"We can not go with the excuse there's a storm outside so we can't take care of this child," Strouse said. "We have to prepare to take care of them under any circumstances."

Crystal Young, her mother and her 2-year-old daughter recently made their annual visit to All Children's. Young is excited about all the new changes.

"The medical and all the hospital and the tests will all be done in one hospital. I want have to go back and forth," Young said.

Hospital employees say the new building and energy plant cost more than $403 million. It's a hefty price tag, but one that could keep our priceless future from harm's way.

The new facilities are expected to open in December.