By Danielle Pierce and Liz Torrey

VCU Health and local officials gathered today for a celebratory groundbreaking of the new Pauley Heart Center Pavilion at VCU Health in Richmond’s Diamond District. 

The Pauley Heart Center Pavilion at VCU Health will be a state-of-the-art medical facility that will increase access to the top heart center in Virginia and set a national standard for outpatient cardiovascular care. The facility will increase clinical capacity to meet the growing needs of patients and lower current wait times for critical appointments that require complex imaging and consultation with specialists. 

"At VCU, we are driven by a commitment to pursue innovation that addresses the most urgent societal challenges of our time,” said Michael Rao, president of Virginia Commonwealth University. “The Pauley Heart Center Pavilion is a strong representation of that mission. By co-locating world-class research, clinical excellence, and workforce training under one roof, we are creating a national model for heart health that prioritizes accessibility for all Virginians." 

The Pauley Heart Center Pavilion at VCU Health is expected to be 93,000 square feet. (Jonathan Mehring, VCU Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

The new facility, set to open in 2028, will allow the Pauley Heart Center team to build on its reputation for outstanding acute and complex care, while also maximizing VCU Health’s existing integration of research, teaching and clinical care. By bringing together a wide variety of diagnostic tools, advanced imaging, procedural care, cardiac rehab, lab services, clinicians, researchers and more in one building, the pavilion will enable clinicians to diagnose, treat and support patients more efficiently and establish an innovative model for outpatient cardiovascular care – the first of its kind in Virginia. 

The facility will be a 93,000 square foot, two-story building that will house: 

• New MRI, CT and cardiovascular procedural facilities 
• Space for non-invasive cardiology services, exam and consult rooms, infusion and recovery bays 
• A retail pharmacy 
• Lab and clinical research space, education and training classrooms 
• A cardiac rehab center with the first full-size cardiac rehab walking track in Virginia 

“As the health system with the best heart hospital in the commonwealth, VCU Health has the privilege and responsibility to serve as many patients as possible,” said Marlon Levy, M.D., MBA, senior vice president for VCU Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health. “The new Pauley Heart Center Pavilion will not only expand access to critical care, but also bring together life-saving research, education and rehabilitation to make it a comprehensive and collaborative experience for better heart health for all Virginians.” 

Accessibility is a key component of every aspect of the building's design. The Pauley Heart Center Pavilion will be located on a seven-acre site on Sherwood Avenue near VCU Health’s Brook Road Campus and the planned VCU Athletic Village, and adjacent to Interstates 64 and 95 and public transportation routes. 

“Today’s groundbreaking represents a powerful investment in the health and well‑being of our community. This new facility will expand access to VCU Health’s world-class care and support the dedicated professionals who serve our residents every day,” said Danny Avula, M.D., mayor of the City of Richmond. “It is a milestone that reflects our shared commitment to building a healthier, more vibrant future for all who call Richmond home.” 

The site will accommodate more than 450 surface-level parking spaces designed to allow patients to enter the building in a very short time over a flat surface – an important detail for Pauley’s many patients with limited mobility. 

“The pavilion creates accessible healthcare infrastructure that will allow VCU, VCU Health and the Pauley Heart Center to face head-on the growing heart disease burden in our region,” said Greg Hundley, M.D., director of the VCU Health Pauley Heart Center. “The Pauley Heart Center Pavilion will dramatically expand our ability to provide lifesaving care, advance research that will create the treatments of tomorrow, and train Virginia’s healthcare workforce to meet the needs of the communities we serve.” 

Many of Pauley’s existing medical education and training programs will also have a home in the pavilion. 

“This state-of-the-art facility will expand and enhance our ability to teach the next generation of physicians the cutting-edge, comprehensive cardiac care and conduct the transformative research that defines our commitment to medical education and the communities we serve,” said Stephen L. Kates, M.D., interim dean of the VCU School of Medicine. 

The Pauley Heart Center Pavilion was designed by PSH+ Architects of Richmond, with collaboration from HKS Architects. Civil engineering was conducted by Townes Site Engineering, and the building is being constructed by Kjellstrom+Lee Construction. 

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Pauley Heart Center Pavilion at VCU Health was held on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Jonathan Mehring, VCU Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

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