Sterile Processing Relocation & Expansion

Planning

Design

Construction Administration

LOCATION

Aurora, CO

OWNER

UCHealth

SIZE

54,400 SF

COMPLETION

Fall 2026

As part of the larger Tower 3 expansion master plan, Pact Studios helped shape a long-term strategy to reorganize critical surgical support services, expand inpatient operating room capacity, and accommodate rising outpatient volumes across an ultimate platform of 50 active operating rooms.

That vision required more than just expansion—it demanded a carefully phased roadmap for uninterrupted, 24/7 surgical operations. Through a highly collaborative process with hospital stakeholders, the full design team, and Pact Studios evaluated capacity, adjacencies, infrastructure, and implementation options. After several considerations the resulting master plan identified relocation of the Sterile Processing Department (SPD) as the strongest long-term solution, creating room for growth while avoiding the operational constraints and disruption of an in-place expansion.

The plan transforms 24,000 square feet of former first-level loading dock space into a one of the largest SPD’s in the United States. Enclosing the dock, establishing a new floor aligned with the existing hospital, and extending MEP systems created a resilient foundation for sterile processing. Dedicated clean and soiled elevators now connect directly to Surgical Services above, also establishing an off-stage pathway for instrument movement to adjacent outpatient operating rooms. High-level disinfection and automated supply and instrument dispensing further strengthen workflow efficiency, accuracy, inventory control, and procurement. The SPD is supported by a previously planned project which installed dedicated air handlers to serve this specialized environment.

On the second level, targeted renovations expanded the network of perioperative support spaces—including pharmacy, anesthesia work areas, equipment storage, staff lounge and locker areas, and offices. Each move was coordinated as part of the larger planning framework, aligning near-term construction with the hospital’s evolving surgical model and preserving flexibility for future technologies, workflows, and patient demand.

The result is more than a collection of renovated spaces. It is a future-ready surgical ecosystem that expands capacity, improves the movement of people and instruments, protects uninterrupted operations through construction. This project demonstrated how long-term planning can turn complex constraints into a singular vision for surgical care.