From Construction Delay to Campus Legend: Introducing Red Hawk Landing

In spring 2025, a protective pair of red-tailed hawks guarding a nest temporarily grounded plans for a new helipad atop the Nancy B. Hamon Tower at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas.

After a 45-day wait, the two eggs hatched and the eyasses, or baby red-tailed hawks, left the nest, allowing construction to resume.

This month, Texas Health Dallas celebrated the opening of the helipad. The hospital has officially named it Red Hawk Landing as a tribute to its feathered friends.

"We honored the hawks because Texas Health Dallas feels like they are family. We all watched their babies hatch, grow and leave the nest," said Rita Hendricks, senior project manager with Texas Health's Facilities Development. "We still see the hawks, but now we can't tell who the babies are."

The new helipad features a snowmelt system that uses controlled heat to keep the landing surface clear in the winter. The helipad is also designed to be lifted off the tower for any future expansion projects.

"A helipad is more than a landing spot. It provides critically ill and injured patients with faster access to specialized care, enabling lifesaving treatment as quickly as possible," said Chris York, president of Texas Health Dallas.

The helipad is one of several campus improvement projects completed or underway at Texas Health Dallas. Recently, work finished on two additional floors at Garage 10, increasing parking capacity. Construction recently began on a new parking structure to replace Garage 7, a project that will add even more spaces, along with a new helipad and helicopter parking pad.

"The opening of Red Hawk Landing reflects both the progress happening across our campus and the unique moments that make Texas Health Dallas special," York said. "As we continue investing in facilities that support patient care, we're proud to celebrate this reminder that even in a bustling medical campus, nature still has a place."