SPRINGFIELD, MO Heart doctors at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, took sledgehammers to a wall during a ceremony to launch the construction of the new Mercy Heart Hospital.

Located inside the existing main hospital, the heart hospital will bring all cardiovascular care into one location.

"We're putting it in the "˜heart' of our main hospital and making access easy for patients," said Dr. Alan Scarrow, President of Mercy Springfield Communities. "The idea is to give heart patients one location where they can drive right up, walk a short distance and have access to all our outstanding heart and vascular providers and equipment. It's going to make for an exceptional patient experience and that's what makes it so exciting."

When construction is complete, patients will have access to the heart hospital through the west entrance of Mercy Hospital Springfield.

KJWW is providing MEP, fire protection, structural and technology design for the heart and vascular center, which will include multiple cath labs, operating rooms and a hybrid operating room. KJWW also is providing engineering design for the hospital cafeteria (to be relocated to the south side of the facility) and for more than 20 other departments being relocated to make room for the renovation.

The 135,000-square-foot project is led by Bates & Associates Architects.