The $180 million expansion to the Akron Children’s Hospital campus is getting several big boosts from donors as it gets closer to completion.
The hospital announced Wednesday that it has received a $1 million gift from Tom and Joy Murdough of Hudson toward its Building on the Promise capital campaign to support the ongoing construction of a seven-story tower at the downtown campus.
Tom Murdough founded Little Tikes and Step2 companies and previously served on the hospital’s board of directors.
The lobby of the new building will be named the Murdough Family Lobby in honor of the donation.
“Our children have received care at Akron Children’s, and because of that, it has been an important part of our lives for many years,” Tom Murdough said in a news release. “We are honored to be able to give back to the hospital.”
Children’s broke ground last spring on the seven-story addition, which will house the hospital’s new emergency department and 100-bed neonatal intensive care unit, along with an outpatient surgery center and labor and delivery unit for high-risk pregnancies.
Another gift, $250,000 from FedEx, is supporting the construction of the FedEx Amphitheater, which will be located adjacent to Perkins Park between the existing hospital building and the addition.
The area will feature several rows of stone seating, sculptures and green space “for people to enjoy and take a little respite,” said Linda L. Gentile, Children’s vice president for construction and support services.
“We wanted to make a nice transition between Perkins Park and the green space there and the new building,” she said. “I think it will be a good addition to the park.
“We really appreciate the green space of Perkins Park. It’s such a valued part of the hospital campus — just allowing people to walk and be outside and get refreshed. All those things are really valuable to our patients and families and staff. We wanted to make sure we enhanced that with the new building.”
The amphitheater will be used as a gathering spot for hospital organizations and for potential musical performances, Gentile said.
The donations are part of more than $26.2 million in gifts the hospital has raised toward its overall $60 million fundraising goal.
Children’s plans to dedicate $10 million of the target to help Ronald McDonald House of Akron renovate and expand its short-term housing for patient families.
Overall, the construction project is about two months ahead of schedule, Gentile said.
The hospital expects to take over the building from the construction team Feb. 20, she said. The tower probably will open 60 to 90 days later, after being fully equipped.
Work is underway on a glass skywalk that will connect the new building to the main hospital and the recently completed parking garage.
Akron City Council last week approved an easement needed for the walkway to be completed.
Beacon Journal staff writer Stephanie Warsmith contributed to this report. Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or cpowell@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow Powell on Twitter at twitter.com/CherylPowellABJ.
