Mercy completes new neonatal unit

Mercy Hospital Springfield completed work on its new neonatal unit.

St. Louis-based general contractor McCarthy Building Cos. is putting the finishing touches on Phase II of the Betty and Bobby Allison Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in time for a grand opening ceremony tomorrow, said Mercy spokeswoman Sonya Kullmann. A blessing for the facility, which is not open to the public, is scheduled to start at 7:45 a.m. at the NICU, which is part of the redesigned Mercy Children's Hospital Springfield.

Phase II expanded the number of beds to 46 from the 27 beds that opened upon completion of Phase I in December 2012. It also has two observation rooms. The new space allows Mercy to close its former NICU in the main hospital, a 28-bed single room, according to a news release.

Phase II had been scheduled for completion this June. Officials did not cite a reason for the delay.

Construction of the new NICU was aided by Springfield philanthropist Bobby Allison, who first committed a $2 million gift toward construction of the facility and later increased his donation by another $650,000, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.