RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Break Ground on Morris Cancer Center

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and RWJBarnabas Health broke ground in June of 2021 on the $750 million Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center in New Brunswick. Designed by HOK, the 510,000-sf structure will enable the consolidation of key cancer services in a single integrated location. Collocating research and clinical functions, the 12-story facility will provide an outpatient area with 84 infusion bays, 74 exams rooms, a diagnostic imaging suite, an urgent care clinic, and an advanced radiology center with four linear accelerators. Inpatient amenities will include 96 beds across three floors and a dedicated floor for surgeries and procedures. The building will also house labs for clinical trials, faculty offices, and a central sterile processing area. A four-story atrium illuminated by abundant natural light will integrate lush native plantings to create a welcoming, biophilic environment.

Accommodating up to ten research teams, the structure will feature highly visible laboratories where physician-scientists can translate new findings directly to patients, and faculty members can provide medical students with hands-on educational opportunities. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, both the labs and adjacent technician workstations will allow for physical distancing. The Morris Cancer Center is being created in partnership with the New Brunswick Development Corporation. Langan Engineering is performing civil, geotechnical, and environmental engineering services for the facility, which will include a 1,000-car parking garage. The project team also includes THA Consulting, structural engineer O'Donnell & Naccarato, and MEP/FP engineer AKF Group. Completion is expected in 2024.