In a city growing as rapidly as Bakersfield, healthcare has long struggled to keep pace. For many families, specialized care meant traveling across town—or even out of town—an unacceptable reality for a city of this size. Recognizing the urgent need for expanded services, Dignity Health–Mercy Hospital Southwest, a member of CommonSpirit Health, has inaugurated the Thomas M. Hardt Tower, a $300 million investment in the region’s healthcare future.

 

The 142,000-square-foot, multi-phased expansion features a new four-story, 106-bed patient tower and extensive renovations. It brings 24 new ICU rooms, 18 private Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) suites, and six additional operating rooms. It also introduces advanced cardiology and neurosurgery services—specialties never before available west of Highway 99. More than bricks and mortar, the Hardt Tower represents a renewed promise: to bring state-of-the-art, compassionate care closer to home for Southwest Bakersfield.

 

The story of the Hardt Tower reaches back more than five decades. In 1971, at Mercy Hospital Downtown, Adelaide Karpe sat at the bedside of her ailing husband, Arthur. Exhausted, she noticed Sister Marion Joseph, who managed the ICU by day and cared for patients at night because of a nursing shortage. Moved by her devotion, Adelaide promised to remember her in her will. Bound by her vow of poverty, Sister Marion asked instead that any gift go to Mercy Hospital.

 

When Mrs. Karpe passed in 1979, Mercy received 1,167 acres of farmland near Bear Mountain Boulevard. That land, purchased for $10 in 1944, was appraised at $1 million in 1979 and leased for decades, generating millions for hospital needs. In 2021, the sale of the Karpe Ranch brought $26 million—becoming the very first gift to the Mercy Southwest Tower Expansion. What began as a simple act of compassion now stands as the cornerstone of the Hardt Tower.

 

Launched in 2017 under the leadership of Jim and Beverly Camp and Craig Harrison, the capital campaign set out to raise $12.5 million. The community responded with overwhelming generosity, ultimately contributing $21.2 million. Guided by the Friends of Mercy Foundation Board, chaired by Geoff King, this effort ensured the Tower would be fully realized.

 

Hospital employees themselves gave $560,000 through payroll deductions—powerful proof of their belief in Mercy’s mission. 

 

Many individual donors also made extraordinary contributions:

At the heart of it all is Thomas M. Hardt, whose extraordinary $5.5 million donation—the largest in the hospital’s history—ensured the Tower became reality. A longtime Bakersfield businessman and philanthropist, Hardt recognized the dire need for healthcare expansion in the southwest. His vision was clear: keep life-saving care close to home. In recognition, the new facility bears his name.

 

The campaign also honors the late Beverly Camp, who co-chaired the effort while facing her own cancer battle. Her tireless commitment to the underserved is immortalized with “Beverly Camp Way,” a street dedicated in her memory.

 

The Hardt Tower doubles the hospital’s operating capacity, expanding from four to ten operating rooms. Designed for efficiency, safety, and advanced technology, the new suites include integrated lighting, overhead booms, and digital towers for immediate access to imaging and patient data. Larger rooms accommodate complex, multi-surgeon procedures. Antimicrobial surfaces and seamless construction further enhance infection control.

 

Most importantly, new specialties are now available. Neurosurgical services for emergent stroke care will save lives where every minute counts. The Bhambi Heart and Brain Center will provide Bakersfield’s west side with state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization—services previously unavailable in southwest Bakersfield.

 

The expansion of the ICU—from 8 to 24 private rooms—marks a milestone for Bakersfield. The David and Catherine Gay Family Intensive Care Unit incorporates advanced technology, including patient lifts for safety and dignity, and private, spacious rooms designed with abundant natural light to support healing. Each room includes en-suite restrooms for privacy and infection control. The design reflects a commitment to both advanced care and patient-centered comfort.

 

The 3rd and 4th floors expand medical-surgical and telemetry capacity from 35 to 116 private rooms. Features include integrated monitoring systems for continuous vital sign tracking, private restrooms, and patient-centered amenities like large windows, soundproofing, and family-friendly layouts.

 

The 4th floor houses specialized units:

These enhancements create a safer, more comfortable environment while improving outcomes.

 

The Wright Family NICU expands from 9 shared beds to 18 private suites, two designed for twins. These family-centered spaces encourage skin-to-skin contact, reduce stress, and support brain development in fragile infants. Parents can remain with their newborns 24/7, while Angel Eye Infant Monitoring connects families remotely. Private rooms minimize infection risk and improve developmental outcomes, ensuring Bakersfield’s tiniest patients receive the best start possible.

 

The Tower introduces The Kitchen Table, a modern culinary hub serving patients, families, and staff. Freshly prepared meals replace reheated methods, ensuring better taste and nutrition. A retail dining area offers multiple cook stations, including a pizza oven and outdoor seating. This reimagined food service experience brings comfort and quality to hospital dining.

 

Critical improvements extend beyond patient care areas. A new Central Sterilization Department ensures rapid turnover and infection prevention. Integrated warehouses and loading docks streamline supply delivery. A new Inpatient Pharmacy with dedicated compounding and mixing areas ensures precise, timely medications, enhancing safety and quality of care across the hospital.

 

The Thomas M. Hardt Tower is more than a building—it is a promise kept. From the first act of compassion between Adelaide Karpe and Sister Marion Joseph, to the tireless efforts of community leaders, to the generosity of donors large and small, this project embodies what is possible when a community unites around a vision.

 

With new ICU suites, advanced surgical services, specialized NICU care, and expanded oncology and cardiac programs, Mercy Southwest ensures families in Bakersfield’s fastest-growing area will no longer need to travel for life-saving treatment. The spirit of the Sisters of Mercy, who came here in 1910, lives on in every corner of this new facility.

 

The Thomas M. Hardt Tower stands as a legacy for generations—a symbol of compassion, collaboration, and the enduring commitment to provide exceptional healthcare, close to home.