Nevada’s first children’s hospital receives key approvals from Clark County

Nevada’s first children’s hospital received key approvals Wednesday from the Clark County Zoning Commission.

Representatives from the UNLV Research Foundation and Intermountain Health were present at the Clark County Zoning Commission meeting, seeking a variety of approvals for the Nevada Children’s Hospital, which is slated to start construction this year and hire thousands of workers. Renderings of the hospital from architects Shepley Bulfinch and Gensler also were unveiled.

They were seeking permits for a hospital and heliport; and waivers to increase building height, reduce loading spaces and allow modified driveway geometrics. They also requested to vacate and abandon portions of the right-of-way along Durango Drive between Patrick Lane and Post Road and along Patrick Lane between Durango Drive and Jim Rogers Way in Spring Valley, in southwest Las Vegas.

All items were unanimously approved by the commission.

“Today’s historic approval of Nevada’s first stand alone pediatric hospital, by the Clark County Commission, will forever change healthcare in Southern Nevada,” said Commissioner Michael Naft, whose district includes the hospital site, in a statement. “The significant investment being made by Intermountain will save lives while diversifying our economy and I could not be more proud to have moved it forward.”

In October 2024, the site was unveiled for the children’s hospital, which will be built on around 34 acres at the 122-acre UNLV’s Harry Reid Research and Technology Park in the southwest valley. The hospital will open with around 200 beds, with around 2,000 to 3,000 caregivers and cost over $1 billion.

The building will be eight stories, 170 feet tall, and with a total of 830,350 square feet, according to documents submitted to the county. Additionally, 642,100 square feet will be dedicated to the hospital; 159,250 square feet for medical offices; and 29,000 square feet for a central utility plant. It will have 1,327 parking spaces.

The submitted documents also laid out proposed plans for each floor:

• Ground floor: The ground floor includes 48,280 square feet for facilities maintenance, mechanical systems, loading docks, logistics and materials management, as well as a lab and morgue.
• First level: The first level includes 173,730 square feet for the hospital, which contains the main entrance, emergency department, radiology, clinical lab, pharmacy and kitchen and dining area. It also includes 45,720 square feet for the medical office building, which includes the main entrance, outpatient services and conference rooms.
• Second level: The second level will have 116,810 square feet for the hospital, which contains patient rooms and surgery areas. It also includes 37,010 square feet for the medical office building for outpatient services and administration.
• Third level: The third level includes 99,500 square feet for the hospital for patient rooms, a pharmacy, family services and mechanical space. It also includes 37,150 square feet for the medical office building for outpatient services and a conference center.
• Fourth level: The fourth level includes 55,360 square feet for the hospital, which contains patient rooms and clinical support. It also includes 29,950 square feet for the medical office building, including outpatient services and administration.
• Fifth level: The fifth level includes 54,050 square feet for the hospital, which contains surgery and clinical support. It also includes 9,430 square feet for the medical office building, including a mechanical area.
• Sixth level: The sixth level includes 44,170 square feet of reserved shell space for future hospital use.
• Seventh level: The seventh level includes 30,120 square feet and will serve as an inpatient behavioral health center.
• Eighth level: The eighth level includes 20,100 square feet and functions as the mechanical floor, housing HVAC systems, medical gas systems, boiler and chiller plants and air-handling units.

Contact Emerson Drewes at edrewes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @EmersonDrewes on X.