Cleveland Clinic's $265M Cancer Center Expansion Requires 7 Low Voltage Systems

A $265 million hospital expansion in Cleveland is creating one of the largest healthcare low voltage opportunities in the Midwest. Cleveland Clinic's Fairview Hospital North Campus redevelopment includes a 168,000-square-foot cancer center and medical office building requiring seven critical LV systems — from structured cabling and DAS to nurse call and fire alarm. The estimated low voltage contract value exceeds $10 million.

Project Overview

Cleveland Clinic has broken ground on a massive North Campus expansion at its Fairview Hospital campus at 18200 Lorain Avenue in Cleveland's West Park neighborhood. The project, valued at $265 million across all phases, represents one of the most significant healthcare construction investments in Northeast Ohio in recent years.

The first phase centers on a new five-story cancer center and medical office building totaling approximately 168,000 square feet of patient-facing space. The facility will house cancer services, radiation oncology, medical oncology, a breast health suite, and a multi-specialty medical office floor. A second phase adds a 340,000-square-foot parking garage with 995 spaces and a new pedestrian bridge connecting the new buildings to the existing hospital campus.

Construction began in Fall 2025 with demolition of the former Center for Family Medicine building. The new cancer center is set to open in the second quarter of 2026, replacing the existing Moll Cancer Center which will be demolished upon completion. Permit records from the City of Cleveland confirm active building permits for the site, including plumbing and mechanical scope valued at $4 million.

Source: Cleveland Building Permits | Project data tracked by LVN Signal

Key Players

Role	Organization	Notes
Owner / Developer	Cleveland Clinic	One of the nation's top-ranked health systems; operates Fairview Hospital as part of its Western Region network
Facility	Fairview Hospital	Full-service community hospital in West Park; part of the Clinic's $265M North Campus redevelopment

Cleveland Clinic is driving this expansion as both owner and developer. The project was approved by the Cleveland Planning Commission and has been covered extensively by Crain's Cleveland Business and regional development outlets. The Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council has tracked the project as a major union construction opportunity.

Low Voltage Systems Breakdown

With an LV opportunity score of 10 out of 10, this project demands the full spectrum of low voltage infrastructure. Seven distinct systems are required across the 168,000-square-foot facility:

System	Scope	Complexity
Structured Cabling	Backbone and horizontal cabling for 168K SF across five floors. Cat6A minimum for healthcare environments. MDF/IDF buildouts, fiber backbone between floors and to existing campus infrastructure.	High
Fire Alarm	Addressable fire alarm system throughout the cancer center and MOB. Integration with existing Fairview Hospital campus fire command center. Smoke detection, duct detectors, pull stations, notification appliances per NFPA 72 and Ohio fire code.	High
Nurse Call	Patient-staff communication system across all clinical floors. Pillow speakers, corridor lights, staff stations, and integration with real-time locating systems (RTLS). Critical for oncology patient areas requiring immediate response capability.	High
Access Control	Card reader and credential-based access throughout the facility. Pharmacy, oncology infusion areas, and radiation vaults require restricted access zones. Integration with Cleveland Clinic's enterprise security platform.	Medium-High
CCTV / Video Surveillance	IP camera coverage for parking areas, entrances, lobbies, corridors, and restricted zones. Integration with the new 995-space parking garage. Network video recorder (NVR) infrastructure.	Medium
Audio Visual	Consultation rooms, conference spaces, patient education areas, and wayfinding displays. Digital signage for the cancer center lobby and medical office building directory systems.	Medium
DAS (Distributed Antenna System)	In-building cellular coverage for a five-story healthcare facility. Critical for patient and staff communications, especially in shielded areas like radiation oncology vaults. Carrier coordination required.	High

Estimated Low Voltage Value

Based on industry benchmarks for healthcare construction of this scale and complexity:

• Total project value: $265 million (all phases)
• Cancer center / MOB phase: ~$120 million (estimated based on 168,000 SF at healthcare construction rates)
• LV percentage for healthcare (7 systems): 8-10% of construction cost
• Estimated LV contract value: $9.6M - $12M
• Conservative estimate used: $10 million

The seven-system requirement places this project at the upper end of LV intensity for healthcare facilities. Structured cabling and DAS alone account for an estimated $3-4 million, with nurse call and fire alarm systems adding another $2-3 million. The remaining systems (access control, CCTV, AV) fill out the balance.

This estimate covers first-phase construction only. The parking garage phase will add additional CCTV, access control, and DAS scope worth an estimated $1-2 million beyond this figure.

Skills and Certifications

Contractors pursuing this opportunity should hold or be working toward the following credentials:

• BICSI RCDD — Registered Communications Distribution Designer, essential for the structured cabling backbone design across five floors
• NICET Fire Alarm Level III/IV — Required for the addressable fire alarm system design and inspection in Ohio healthcare facilities
• Ohio Electrical License — State-required for low voltage installation work
• OSHA 30-Hour Construction — Standard requirement for healthcare construction sites
• DAS Certification (IBWAVE or equivalent) — For the distributed antenna system design and commissioning
• Manufacturer Certifications — Nurse call vendors (Rauland, Hill-Rom, or similar) typically require certified installers for healthcare deployments
• ASIS CPP or PSP — Valuable for the integrated security (access control + CCTV) scope

Market Signal

Cleveland Clinic's $265 million Fairview expansion is part of a broader wave of healthcare construction reshaping Northeast Ohio. Crain's Cleveland Business reports multiple health system construction projects underway across the region, signaling sustained demand for low voltage contractors with healthcare experience.

The cancer center focus is particularly noteworthy. Oncology facilities represent some of the most LV-intensive healthcare environments due to radiation shielding requirements (which demand DAS for cellular coverage), the critical nature of nurse call systems in infusion and treatment areas, and the advanced AV requirements for tumor board conferences and patient education.

For low voltage contractors in the Cleveland-Akron metro, this project represents a multi-year pipeline of work. The phased construction schedule — cancer center opening Q2 2026, parking garage in 2028 — means subcontractor mobilization windows are staggered, allowing firms to bid phases independently.

The West Park neighborhood is also seeing adjacent development activity, which may create additional commercial LV opportunities in the surrounding corridor as the Cleveland Clinic campus expansion drives ancillary growth.

Find Projects Like This on Signal

LVN Signal tracks thousands of construction projects with low voltage opportunities across the country. Filter by city, system type, and project value to find your next bid.

Browse Signal Projects