The University of Minnesota has partnered with Fairview Health Services to launch a campaign with a goal of raising $175 million for a new Amplatz ChildrenâÄôs Hospital building. 

Amplatz is MinnesotaâÄôs first academic pediatric hospital and is currently located inside the University of Minnesota Medical Center, but beginning March 26, 2011 it will have its own building on FairviewâÄôs Riverside campus in Minneapolis.

The Minnesota Medical Foundation is responsible for raising the $175 million, according to Sarah Youngerman, a spokeswoman for the foundation. 

Forty-eight percent of the goal has already been reached. The foundation wants to raise the rest by 2015. The foundation is campaigning with corporations, individuals and former patients.

Youngerman said that $100 million of the total will go to the hospital itself and the hospitalâÄôs programming, but $75 million will be dedicated to pediatric research and care in the UniversityâÄôs Department of Pediatrics.

The new childrenâÄôs hospital will increase in size, but the number of beds will remain at 96, as in its current facility. 

The money will be going towards family rooms and for spaces designated for learning and improving physician performance.

âÄú[The new hospital] will be improving the care environment for long-stay patients,âÄù Youngerman said.