Elkhart General Hospital in northern Indiana completed construction of a new wing less than 10 years ago, but already another addition is in the works. Opened in 2005, the three-story west wing of the 100-year-old structure gave the hospital a much-needed centralization of its oncology services and an expansion of its birthing center. But more space is needed, and plans call for adding another five stories on top of the new wing.

Hospital expansions seem to be occurring everywhere, according to David Furlong, facilities management director of Elkhart General. “There’s always a need to keep up with medical advancements, and many hospitals simply don’t have the existing space to handle new technologies,” Furlong says.