PHOENIX — Banner Gateway Medical Center announced it will open the new five-story patient tower on Tuesday in Gilbert, doubling the size of the hospital.

The building cost an estimated $243 million and will create 600 new jobs.

It will be 351,000 square feet and add a women and infant services unit, added space for inpatient cancer care and more space for surgical, emergency, endoscopy and imaging services. Inpatient beds will increase from 177 to 286, according to a press release.

“We’re excited we can offer this addition for our patients and the communities we serve,” Chief Operating Officer Darren McCollem said in the release.

“As the state and particularly the East Valley continue to grow in population, we want to make sure we’re meeting the demands of quality health care. This expansion addresses the need for enhanced services that will help our patient populations now and in the future.”

Banner Gateway aims to address the need for women and infant care in Arizona, specifically labor, delivery and postpartum.

The hospital averages 4,000 deliveries per year, and with the new additions, can accommodate 6,000 deliveries while doubling the amount of NICU beds, according to the release.

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