Vertical Expansion for World-Class Orthopedic Care
The Kellen Tower (initially known as The River Building) is the keystone of HSS’s ambitious 2025 Plan for its Upper East Side campus.
The Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Tower
New York, NY
Founded in 1863, Hospital for Special Surgery is the world’s leading academic medical center focused exclusively on musculoskeletal health, trusted by patients from across all 50 states and more than 80 countries.
To meet growing demand and maintain its leadership position, the hospital launched a major expansion on its Upper East Side campus.
The Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Tower is a 12-story vertical addition built entirely over the FDR Drive. The project increases the hospital’s capacity for single-bed inpatient rooms, expands its outpatient imaging services, and enhances clinic space. EwingCole provided core, shell, and fit-out design services for the new tower, which will help accommodate higher patient volumes while elevating the standard of care.
In tandem with the hospital’s 2025 master plan, the project enables program decanting into Kellen Tower, making way for additional operating rooms, support spaces, and physician offices in existing campus buildings. The design supports HSS’s continued mission to deliver specialized care in a modern, efficient environment tailored to orthopedic excellence.
