2 new children's hospitals coming to Northwest Austin

The first of two children’s hospitals coming to the Northwest Austin and Cedar Park border is expected to open in April, bringing Dell Children's services to the area.

Over the next several months, construction teams working on Dell Children’s Medical Center North will put the final touches on the building, including detailing cabinets, bathrooms, signage, art and furniture, said Cathy Heckenlively, chief administrative officer for the facility.

Once it opens, the 187,000-square-foot hospital—located on North Lake Creek Parkway near the southeast corner of Avery Ranch Boulevard and 183A Toll—will have 36 beds, two operating rooms, procedure rooms, sleep labs, emergency and trauma services, and shell space for future growth, Heckenlively said in an email.

Next door, the hospital’s accompanying medical office building at 9010 N. Lake Creek Parkway, Bldg. 2, Ste. 300, Austin, began serving patients Oct. 31 in more than a dozen specialties, including fetal medicine, general pediatric surgery, infectious disease, mental health and rehabilitation.

Heckenlively said the hospital will increase access to care for families in the northern part of the Austin metro.

“Having this increased access and capacity during this respiratory season would have been a true blessing to the communities,” Heckenlively said in an email.

Nearby, Texas Children’s Hospital is building a hospital and outpatient building at 9835 N. Lake Creek Parkway, Austin. Slated to open in February 2024, Michelle Riley-Brown, an executive vice president with Texas Children’s Hospital, said the hospital is about 10 months away from substantial completion. Then, the hospital will have about three months for move-in, orientation and preparation.

The $485 million hospital will be 365,000 square feet and have 52 patient beds. It will also have primary care and urgent care services on site.

“As the nation’s largest pediatric hospital we know families in need of inpatient care want access to the country’s leading experts, ... and we are glad to be able to offer this closer to home for the Austin community,” Riley-Brown said in an email.