Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children has completed construction of a new $26 million parking garage, officially marking the start of the first phase of an $800 million redevelopment project to expand Hawaii’s only full-service children’s specialty hospital.

The 992-stall parking structure will open Feb. 11.

"Its completion is a major symbolic milestone as we now shift our focus to the rebuild of the hospital itself," said Martha Smith, chief operating officer.

"Until we were able to gain the extra space, we really had nowhere to grow. Building (an adjacent) parking structure now will allow us to free up space on this campus to build a new hospital."

The hospital, which has not done major renovations for more than 30 years, purchased a 1-acre site for the parking garage in 2004 for $5.5 million.

The existing 380-stall parking lot will be razed at the end of the year to make way for construction in early 2014 on a building for an expanded neonatal intensive care unit and pediatric intensive care unit (NICU/PICU).

The project’s first phase, estimated to cost $160 million and be completed in 2016, will add 36 beds to the 60-bed NICU/PICU and includes a new education center.

The project is ahead of schedule, and the hospital now expects to complete its 15-year master plan in a little more than 13 years, a spokes­woman said.

Kapiolani has raised $22 million so far as part of a $30 million campaign to help fund the first phase of the project.

The first phase will also create more family-centered space, meet critical care needs and expand the size of educational conference rooms for obstetrics and gynecology and pediatric training, the hospital said.

Building of the new NICU/PICU will not affect the existing pediatric units, which will remain open throughout the duration of construction.