Inside the $6M EmPATH Unit at Emory Midtown: A Low Voltage Goldmine in Atlanta

A $6.075 million hospital project in Atlanta requires 7 low voltage systems, creating an estimated $600,000 opportunity for contractors in the Georgia market.

Project Overview

Emory University Hospital Midtown is moving forward with a significant expansion: a dedicated EmPATH (Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing) unit, plus ground-level renovations at its flagship midtown campus. The project, valued at $6.075 million, was filed through Atlanta building permit records and represents one of the highest-scoring low voltage opportunities currently tracked by Signal in the Southeast.

Located at 550 Peachtree Street NE in the heart of Atlanta's medical corridor, the EmPATH unit is a specialized behavioral health crisis stabilization facility. Unlike traditional emergency psychiatric holds, EmPATH units are purpose-built environments designed for rapid assessment and short-term treatment — typically 24 hours or less. The model, developed by Dr. Scott Zeller, has been adopted by health systems across the country as a more humane and cost-effective alternative to standard emergency department psychiatric boarding.

For low voltage contractors, this project type is particularly noteworthy. Behavioral health environments require a dense concentration of interconnected systems. Robust access control maintains secure perimeters, comprehensive nurse call coverage ensures patient safety, CCTV enables behavioral monitoring, and specialized AV systems support therapeutic spaces. This is not a standard hospital floor renovation — it is a purpose-built clinical environment where every system must work together seamlessly.

Project	Emory University Hospital Midtown EmPATH Unit
Location	550 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA
Total Value	$6,075,000
Project Type	Hospital / Behavioral Health
Status	Active
LV Score	10/10
Source	Atlanta Building Permits

Project Context

Emory University Hospital Midtown is one of Atlanta's premier healthcare facilities, operating as part of the Emory Healthcare system — the largest health system in Georgia. The midtown campus, originally built in the early 2000s as part of a $126 million redevelopment led by Skanska, has continually evolved to meet growing demand across its service lines.

The EmPATH model represents a nationwide shift in how health systems handle behavioral health crises. Traditional emergency departments are poorly suited for psychiatric patients, often leading to extended boarding times, patient distress, and high costs for the facility. EmPATH units provide a dedicated, calming environment with purpose-built infrastructure for rapid stabilization — most patients are assessed, treated, and either discharged or transferred within 24 hours. Major health systems including Emory, Vanderbilt, and several HCA facilities have adopted or are actively developing EmPATH programs.

This permit signals Emory's continued investment in behavioral health infrastructure, a sector experiencing significant growth nationally. Behavioral health facility construction has accelerated in recent years, driven by the ongoing mental health crisis, new federal funding mechanisms, and the recognition that dedicated psychiatric environments produce better outcomes than ED boarding. For low voltage contractors in the Atlanta metro area, this project is a bellwether: expect more behavioral health construction permits in the pipeline as Georgia's major health systems follow national trends.

Low Voltage Systems Breakdown

This project scores a perfect 10 out of 10 on Signal's LV opportunity index, with seven distinct low voltage systems spanning four major categories: life safety, security, data infrastructure, and specialized clinical communications. The combination of systems and the behavioral health use case make this one of the most LV-dense hospital projects per dollar currently tracked in the Atlanta market.

System	Category	Scope Description	Complexity
Fire Alarm	Life Safety	Full fire alarm system for the new EmPATH unit including smoke detection, notification appliances, and integration with the existing hospital fire command center. Behavioral health areas require tamper-resistant and anti-ligature devices that meet both NFPA 72 and Joint Commission behavioral health environment standards.	High
Structured Cabling	Data/Voice	Complete horizontal and backbone cabling infrastructure supporting all network-connected systems. Hospital-grade Cat6A throughout for reliability, with dedicated pathways for clinical systems, administrative networks, and patient entertainment. Fiber backbone tying back to the existing campus MDF.	Medium
Access Control	Security	Critical system for an EmPATH unit. Secure perimeter control prevents elopement, with anti-tailgating measures at entry points. Staff-only zones, medication storage, and unit boundaries all require card-reader controlled doors with behavioral health-rated hardware. Integration with the campus-wide access control platform is expected.	High
CCTV / Video Surveillance	Security	Comprehensive camera coverage for patient monitoring, common areas, corridors, and perimeter security. Behavioral health settings require careful camera placement to balance safety monitoring with patient dignity. Anti-ligature camera housings are required in patient-accessible areas. Integration with campus VMS.	High
Nurse Call	Life Safety	Specialized nurse call system for psychiatric assessment areas, patient rooms, and treatment spaces. EmPATH units require staff duress capability, patient-initiated alerts, and workflow integration with clinical staff assignments. Anti-ligature pull stations and pillow speakers designed for behavioral health environments.	High
DAS (Distributed Antenna System)	Wireless	In-building cellular coverage for the new unit ensuring first responder communications (FirstNet) and commercial carrier service. Hospitals in dense urban locations like midtown Atlanta often struggle with cellular penetration, and DAS is increasingly required by code for public safety communications.	High
Audio/Visual	AV	AV systems for clinical consultation rooms, group therapy spaces, patient entertainment, and staff communication areas. EmPATH environments often include calming visual displays and ambient audio in common areas as part of the therapeutic design approach.	Medium

The behavioral health use case elevates the complexity of nearly every system on this project. Standard hospital-grade equipment is often insufficient — contractors must source anti-ligature devices for fire alarm, nurse call, and CCTV installations. Access control goes beyond typical hospital card access, requiring elopement prevention features and integration with staff duress systems. These specialized requirements narrow the field of qualified contractors and increase the value of firms with behavioral health construction experience.

Estimated Low Voltage Value

With no estimated low voltage value available in the project database, we can calculate an estimate using industry benchmarks for hospital construction. Given the behavioral health use case and the high system count, we apply the upper range of hospital LV percentages.

Total Project Value	$6,075,000
Estimated LV Percentage	8% (hospital, high — 7 systems, behavioral health)
System Count Multiplier	1.25x (7+ systems)
Estimated LV Contract Value	~$600,000

Approximately $600,000 in low voltage work across seven integrated systems. Here is how that value roughly breaks down by major system:

System	Est. % of LV Budget	Est. Value
Structured Cabling	25%	$150,000
Fire Alarm	20%	$120,000
Access Control	15%	$90,000
CCTV	12%	$70,000
Nurse Call	10%	$60,000
DAS	10%	$60,000
AV	8%	$50,000

For a mid-sized low voltage firm in the Atlanta market, a $600,000 contract with seven system scopes represents a substantial project that would likely require a dedicated project manager and multiple specialty crews. The behavioral health specialization requirements mean fewer competitors, potentially improving margins for firms with relevant experience. Contractors who have done work in psychiatric facilities, emergency departments, or secure behavioral health units will have a significant competitive advantage in pursuing this project.

Skills and Certifications Required

Seven integrated systems across four categories means this project demands a broad workforce with both general low voltage skills and highly specialized certifications. Here is what contractors need in their crew to deliver this project:

System	Key Certifications	Critical Skills
Fire Alarm	NICET Level II+, Georgia Fire Alarm License	NFPA 72, SLC/NAC wiring, anti-ligature device installation
Structured Cabling	BICSI INST2, RCDD (design)	Cat6A termination, fiber splicing, hospital pathway planning
Access Control	PSP (ASIS), Manufacturer certs	Behavioral health hardware, elopement prevention, IP networking
CCTV	Manufacturer certs (Axis, Avigilon)	Anti-ligature housings, VMS configuration, PoE networking
Nurse Call	Manufacturer certs (Hill-Rom, Rauland)	Behavioral health protocols, staff duress, pillow speaker installation
DAS	BICSI RCDD, RF engineering	Antenna placement, carrier coordination, FirstNet compliance
AV	CTS, CTS-I (AVIXA)	Display mounting, DSP programming, therapeutic AV design

Entry-level technicians with BICSI Installer 1 or NICET Level I certifications can contribute to cable pulling, device mounting, and basic terminations across the cabling and fire alarm scopes. Mid-level technicians with NICET Level II or BICSI INSTC will handle system wiring, testing, and certification. The project will require at least one RCDD for design oversight, a NICET Level III or higher for fire alarm engineering, and specialists with behavioral health construction experience for the access control, nurse call, and CCTV systems.

The behavioral health specialization is the differentiator on this project. Contractors should verify their Georgia low voltage contractor license is current and ensure their workforce has experience with anti-ligature rated equipment, secure unit design, and Joint Commission behavioral health environment of care standards. Firms that invest in this niche expertise now will be well-positioned as behavioral health construction continues to grow across the Southeast.

Market Signal

This EmPATH unit at Emory Midtown is part of a broader wave of behavioral health construction sweeping through the Southeast. Georgia, like many states, faces a critical shortage of psychiatric beds and crisis stabilization facilities. Health systems are responding with dedicated behavioral health infrastructure rather than continuing to board patients in overcrowded emergency departments. For low voltage contractors in the Atlanta metro, this trend translates directly into project opportunities — behavioral health units are among the most LV-intensive builds per square foot in the healthcare sector.

Atlanta's healthcare construction market remains robust in 2026. With major health systems like Emory, Piedmont, and Grady continuing to invest in their physical campuses, the pipeline for hospital-related low voltage work is strong. This project also highlights a growing demand for contractors with specialized knowledge in behavioral health environment design — a niche that relatively few firms in the region have cultivated but which commands premium rates due to the stringent safety and compliance requirements.

Contractors tracking the Atlanta market should watch for follow-on behavioral health permits from Emory Healthcare and competing health systems. When a market leader like Emory invests in a new treatment model, competitors typically follow within 12 to 18 months. The firms that build behavioral health experience on this project will be first in line for the next one.

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