Baptist Health kicked off a major expansion at its Jacksonville campus Wednesday morning with a groundbreaking ceremony for a new four-story emergency tower.
The facility, to be named the McGehee Family Tower, honors Sutton and Debbie McGehee and their family, longtime supporters of the health system who made a significant but undisclosed donation toward the project.
When complete, the 123,000-square-foot tower will house an expanded emergency department, additional patient rooms, and other care spaces.
“This isn’t just about a new building for adults and children,” said Michael Mayo, Baptist’s president and CEO. “It’s about shaping the future of healthcare for families across this community and region.”
Baptist has estimated the tower’s cost at around $190 million and confirmed that $39 million in philanthropic support has already been raised.
The McGehee family’s relationship with Baptist spans decades. Sutton’s father, Frank, co-founded Mac Papers and spent more than 20 years serving on Wolfson Children’s Hospital’s board. His aunt, Ellen Cavert, founded the Women’s Board of Wolfson, while his daughter Ray now serves on its development council. The family sold Mac Papers in 2020 but has continued its philanthropic involvement in Jacksonville.
Sutton, who has also served on the board of Dreams Come True for three decades, said, “For a city the size of Jacksonville, I’m amazed at everything we have to offer in healthcare. If you’re going to be sick, this is a good place to be.”
Construction preparations began earlier this year, with ambulance drop-off areas relocated to make way for the project. The city recently approved permits valued at about $187 million for the next phases of work, which are expected to take 18 to 24 months, according to Erik Higgins of design firm Hoefer Welker.
Plans call for two separate emergency departments with 100 treatment rooms in total — 63 for adults and 37 for children — including three pediatric trauma rooms on the ground floor.
“For more than 70 years, our community has turned to us in times of crisis,” said Nicole Thomas, president of Baptist Jacksonville. “This new tower reinforces our promise to provide safe, high-quality care 24/7 for every patient and family who needs us.”
Information from: https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2025/09/17/baptist-health-emergency-tower-philanthropy.html
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