Northwest Transitions

Project Summary

To strengthen the post-acute continuum of care in southern Arizona, Northwest Healthcare, a Tucson-based subsidiary of Community Health Systems, selected NexCore Group to lead development of a 60-bed rehabilitation hospital—purpose-built to reduce hospital readmissions and improve long-term patient outcomes.

Strategically located on the Northwest Medical Center campus, the two-story, 61,010 SF facility is anchored by two specialized care platforms:

• First Floor: Northwest Transitions, a 30-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit delivering daily one-on-one physical, occupational, and speech therapy in a personalized setting.
  
• Second Floor: Select Specialty Hospital – Tucson Northwest, a 30-bed long-term acute care (LTAC) hospital designed to serve patients with complex, prolonged medical needs.
  

NexCore was responsible for end-to-end development—from planning and site management to capital coordination and construction oversight. The result: a high-acuity facility that bridges the gap between acute care and home, setting a new standard for transitional recovery in the region.

The Challenge

The project began with a clear goal: to address a rising demand for post-acute services in Tucson and reduce gaps in the recovery journey. However, 60 days before receiving the Certificate of Occupancy, Northwest Healthcare pivoted—requesting that the second floor be converted from skilled nursing to long-term acute care.

This mid-project shift introduced significant regulatory and logistical hurdles:

• Code Compliance: LTAC requirements triggered a cascade of design and infrastructure changes, including specialized HVAC, medical gas, suction, air, and oxygen systems.
  
• Scope Expansion: Added dialysis rooms, adjusted room sizes, built-out additional storage and clinical spaces, and constructed an oxygen yard.
  
• Parking & Site Slope: To maintain code compliance, NexCore reconfigured parking layout and resolved grading issues on a sloped site—without delaying delivery further.
  
• Capital Confidence: The pivot required the support of capital partner Sila Realty Trust, who needed clarity on long-term value despite the redesign’s cost and timing implications.
  

All of this had to be executed while staying true to the facility’s original intent: to support faster, safer, and more efficient patient recovery.

NexCore’s Solution

NexCore mobilized a cross-functional response to ensure that the transition to LTAC could be executed without compromising delivery or operational success.

1. Rapid Redesign & Compliance Navigation

• Collaborated with architect Davis Stokes Collaborative and contractor Haydon Companies to reconfigure the second floor to meet Arizona’s stringent LTAC codes.
  
• Delivered required upgrades including medical gas and suction, enhanced plumbing infrastructure, dedicated dialysis space, and oxygen storage and distribution systems—all within compressed timelines.
  

2. On-the-Ground Agility

• Adjusted site planning in real time to resolve slope-related challenges and update parking configurations in line with regulatory thresholds.
  
• Maintained architectural integrity and user flow, despite late-stage structural adjustments.
  

3. Capital & Stakeholder Alignment

• Engaged Sila Realty Trust early and often—clearly communicating long-term value, new lease structure benefits, and expanded care capabilities.
  
• Maintained project momentum and funding support, preventing costly delays.
  

4. Collaborative Operating Model

• Facilitated a strategic partnership between Northwest Healthcare and Select Medical to relocate beds from Curahealth Tucson, ensuring a seamless service transition into the new LTAC space.
  

Results

Despite the scope shift, NexCore delivered the Northwest Transitions Rehabilitation Hospital with only a five-month delay—an extraordinary achievement given the magnitude of change.

Key outcomes include:

• Fully operational LTAC: The new Select Specialty Hospital – Tucson Northwest now supports patients with ventilator dependence, complex wounds, and multi-organ conditions—enabling a higher level of coordinated recovery.
  
• Patient-Centered Design: All rooms are private with walk-in showers, grooming vanities, and dedicated therapy spaces—reinforcing dignity and comfort during recovery.
  
• Reduced Readmissions: By co-locating inpatient rehab and LTAC services, the facility supports smoother care transitions and lowers acute care return rates.
  
• Expanded Pipeline: NexCore’s performance and responsiveness earned the trust of Northwest Healthcare, leading to two additional developments:
  
  • Tucson Surgery Center
    
  • Houghton Medical Outpatient Building
    

A Benchmark for Flexibility and Partnership

The Northwest Transitions facility is more than a successful pivot—it’s proof that when healthcare real estate is strategically designed, operationally aligned, and resiliently executed, it can reshape recovery for thousands of patients.

For NexCore, it’s another example of delivering future-proof, mission-critical facilities that meet the changing demands of providers, systems, and communities alike.