Acadia Healthcare Shorewood Behavioral Health

The Acadia Health-Shorewood Behavioral Health project in Madison transformed a former American Family Insurance office complex into a 120-bed inpatient behavioral health hospital serving adolescents, adults and seniors. Designed to treat conditions ranging from substance use and mood disorders to Alzheimer’s disease, the facility fills a vital gap in regional mental health care.

The adaptive reuse of a 50,400-square-foot office building and the addition of a 33,400-square-foot structure presented major challenges. The construction team employed laser scanning to accurately align old and new components, while low ceilings, tight spaces, and complex mechanical systems required extensive pre-coordination. Innovations such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), prefabricated cold form wall panels and Takt Planning helped the team finish the project five weeks ahead of schedule in just 13 months.

Safety was paramount throughout. The facility features suicide-proof rooms, non-breakable windows, pick-proof caulking, anchored furniture and ADA-compliant spaces. A 3-key lock system and concealed card readers enhance patient and staff security. Outside-the-box decisions — like locating stairwells externally — further elevated safety standards.

The hospital also prioritizes sustainability, with 108 geothermal wells powering a high-efficiency HVAC system. Material use was substantial, including over 2,700 cubic yards of concrete and more than 17,000 CMU blocks. The site’s elevation even offers views of the state Capitol, creating a calming, restorative setting.

The project supports the local economy through 240 new jobs and inclusive hiring efforts, such as employing a graduate from the McKenzie Regional Workforce Center’s Careerforce Build UP! program. According to Shorewood Behavioral Health CEO Jeffrey Herman, “The building is amazing, inside and out. We started admitting patients and everyone is in awe of the therapeutic treatment environment.”

The facility is now a benchmark in behavioral health care design, blending innovation, safety and community impact.