Share This Story
For 50 years, CPL has championed the belief that design can transform lives, and our ongoing partnership with FirstHealth of the Carolinas perfectly embodies that ethos.
What began with modest renovations has flourished into a lasting relationship shaped by trust, aligned values and a shared commitment to supporting the whole person—body, mind and spirit. Together, we’ve grown in sync, bolstering care access and equity for 15 counties in North Carolina.
From a Blank Canvas to a Symbol of Healing
Our journey began in 2002 with imaging department upgrades at Moore Regional Hospital, renovating CT scan rooms, inpatient holding areas and outpatient portals. These early successes led to a bold new challenge: envisioning a full-service medical hub on a 30-acre parcel in Raeford, NC, in just 15 months.
Hoke Community Hospital, an 85,000 sq. ft., $27 million facility, soon emerged, bringing ED, imaging, lab, pharmacy, surgical and inpatient services to an underserved region.
Its design sent a clear message: high-quality care belongs everywhere, not just in major cities. Natural light, responsible materials and locally sourced artwork established a welcoming, familiar space where all patients could feel seen and encouraged.
Nearly a decade later, we returned to steer the campus’ next design chapter. In 2021, phased renovations began with relocating administrative offices away from the high-traffic ED and OR areas to a quieter rear addition. The vacated space was then reimagined as a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), accommodating surgical suite expansion to meet growing demand.
Keeping Care Moving
As FirstHealth continued modernizing its facilities, CPL became a trusted partner in maintain project momentum. Nowhere was that more evident than in the overhaul of Moore’s clinical laboratory.
Over 12,000 sq. ft. of aging infrastructure was revamped as a future-ready hub for clinical testing without disrupting lab operations. LEAN principles and modular layouts allowed teams to adjust workflows, update equipment and stay nimble in a rapidly changing medical landscape.
Each reconfigured lab—from histology to molecular biology—translated to enhanced throughput, fewer disruptions and smoother transitions throughout the patient journey.
Design with Dignity
That same approach guided the planning for one of FirstHealth’s most ambitious undertakings: the Cancer Center. Spanning 132,000 sq. ft. across four stories, the Center consolidates the full continuum of care—from chemotherapy and radiation to gynecologic oncology, wellness therapies and clinical trials—under one roof.
“We wanted a building that would feel like a beacon of hope. The design hit every metric our board was looking for. It was inviting and beautiful, far from just another benign facility.”
— Thomas Reoch, FirstHealth Administrative Director
Launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the project leveraged the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) method to bring architects, engineers, owners and contractors together from the outset. With in-person meetings off the table, our teams shifted to a virtual forum, forming discipline-based cluster groups to keep things on track.
“CPL didn’t struggle like other firms I’ve worked with,” Reoch recalled. “They adapted immediately. There was no angst. They just got it.”
This synergy informed every design detail, from intuitive wayfinding to the building’s gentle, curving form, a visual metaphor for inner strength. Later, a full-scale mock-up known as the “Cardboard City” allowed staff and trustees to walk through rooms and share real-time feedback before construction began. The outcome: efficient environments deeply attuned to patient and caregiver needs.
Watch a video about FirstHealth’s Cardboard City.
To help create “wow” moments, the design also introduced several signature features: two outdoor healing gardens, and a stunning central light fixture in the main lobby inspired by grains of sand—a nod to the Sandhills region’s identity and a canvas for monthly cancer awareness displays.
One key element—the fourth-floor wellness suite, which offers patients and families a reprieve with art therapy, yoga and more—was nearly cut during budget reviews but preserved through collaborative problem-solving.
“We held fast,” Reoch recalled. “It was part of the vision, and CPL helped us protect it without sacrificing quality.”
Results followed. Within the first year, patient volume exceeded projected growth metrics. Staff retention increased by approximately 20–25%, with many crediting the environment’s amenities. And while the original plan shelled space for a third linear accelerator (LINAC) vault with a 10-year activation horizon, FirstHealth is now moving forward to build it just three years post-opening.
“The Cancer Center is the pinnacle of my career,” Reoch said. “We designed something extraordinary, during a global crisis, on budget, that truly honors this community.”
Building What Matters, Together
What underscores our relationship with FirstHealth of the Carolinas isn’t longevity, but evolution. Each new project brings opportunities to reaffirm our united mission: cultivating spaces that advance holistic care and human connection.
As we celebrate CPL’s golden anniversary, we’re proud of the places we’ve created that enable recovery and compassion, and energized by what’s still to come as we continue building forward, side by side.
About the Author: Michelle Trott
