Healthcare

Christian Hospital Northwest, part of St. Louis-based BJC Healthcare, is planning to construct a $16.8-million emergency care and outpatient diagnostic center in St. Louis. Part of a complete campus renovation, the 40,000-sf facility will house a 24-hour emergency department, a breathing center, a sleep disorders center, radiology, labs, primary care physician offices, and a community education and resource center. The ability to double in size to meet rising demand will be built into the design.

Children's Medical Center of Dallas is working with EDI Ltd., an Atlanta-based technology consulting company, to finalize the design of security and communications systems for the newly renovated Children's Pavilion and East Tower expansion projects. Occupancy of the Pavilion is expected in March 2003, with the East Tower reaching occupancy by the third quarter of the year. Formerly part of Men's Wear Mart, the Children's Pavilion includes a 35,000-sf day surgery center, 55,000-sf of administrative offices and a parking garage.

Kennedy Health System opened its new 26,000-sf Kennedy Memorial Hospital emergency department in Turnersville, N.J., on February 27, 2003. Housed in a new three-story, 90,000-sf facility, the $23-million emergency department nearly quadruples the size of the previous department. Featuring 29 treatment rooms, the facility has two centers of patient treatment: one for trauma and acute care and another for less acute conditions.

Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente is expanding in Sonoma County, Calif. The HMO leased and renovated approximately 30,000-sf in Rohnert Park to house offices for primary-care physicians and a pharmacy; the facility opened Feb. 20, 2003. In Santa Rosa, Kaiser has constructed a 60,000-sf medical office building on an 18-acre site north of Kaiser's existing campus. The facility will house pediatric and ophthalmology services and is expected to open by year-end.

Children's Medical Center of Dallas has completed a $17.8-million, 2,500-car parking structure adjacent to its Children's Pavilion. Constructed by McCarthy, the 805,000-sf design/build precast concrete parking structure is part of a long-term growth initiative to increase services and capacity at the hospital's main location.

Kaiser Permanente is working with San Francisco architectural firm Gordon H. Chong & Partners in teamwork with SmithGroup Inc. to develop a standardized template for Kaiser's new hospitals. Establishing models for developing new facilities and renovating existing buildings, the templates will create flexible floorplans and layouts for Kaiser's small, medium, and large hospitals.

Central Montgomery Medical Center broke ground in early February 2003 on a $2-million emergency department renovation. Relocating and doubling the size of the existing department, the project will create 21 private rooms and is slated for completion in 2003. Central Montgomery Medical Center, owned by King of Prussia-based Universal Health Services, is also planning a new $8-million medical office building that will connect to the hospital, to begin construction in late 2003 and reach completion mid-2004.

The Ohio State University Medical Center will initiate construction on a 44,000-sf expansion of the Comprehensive Cancer Center in February 2003. The project is a vertical expansion of  the 3rd and 4th floors on top of Wiseman Hall, creating additional space for research and supporting the growing Human Cancer Genetics programs.

South Texas Medical Center is constructing the Rosewood Building in San Antonio, a new three-story medical office facility featuring approximately 45,000 sf of leased space. Slated for completion in June 2003, the Rosewood building will include a conference room, event center, patio, and catering kitchen. The medical offices will accommodate doctors, imaging facilities, plastic surgeons, and cardiologists.

The District of Columbia Department of Health will distribute $8 million from a federal terrorism response fund to members of the D.C. Hospital Association. Hospitals receiving funding include George Washington University Hospital, which will receive approximately $800,000 to expand the facility's decontamination unit and implement improved biohazard training procedures.

Charlotte, N.C.-based OrthoNeuro Corp. is creating its first specialty hospital in Austin. OrthoNeuro is redeveloping the former Renaissance Women's Center into the Austin Surgical Hospital, slated to open in spring of 2003. The renovation includes 50,000 sf of the four-year-old facility, adding six operating rooms, two procedure rooms, 25 inpatient rooms, and an intensive care unit. A rehabilitation center, an expanded imaging department, and a clinical laboratory will enable the hospital to provide various ancillary services.

Montgomery Hospital Medical Center is planning a 3,000-sf expansion of its emergency department and the renovation of 4,000 sf of existing space. The project, funded by a $1-million grant from the Abramson Family Foundation, will create a technologically advanced, state-of-the-art emergency department. The hospital plans to invest more than $2-million in the improvements. Construction will begin in early 2003 on a new waiting area, a new emergency room entrance, and additional treatment rooms.

Loudoun Hospital Center opened its new Birthing Inn in January 2003. The 30,000-sf facility, located at the rear of the hospital, took nine months to construct. The birth center houses nine labor/delivery/recovery rooms, 24 postpartum suites, two operating rooms, two recovery rooms, and four triage posts.

Community Hospital of Los Gatos is planning an $85-million expansion that will include medical office space, an oncology radiology center, a new emergency department, and four additional operating rooms. The project will also feature a three-story inpatient care facility and a remodeled cafeteria and lobby. The expansion will increase the 150,000-sf hospital to 292,500-sf.

Johnston Memorial Hospital is redeveloping a former Burlington Industries textile mill in Smithfield as a medical mall. Sited on 15 acres adjacent to the hospital, the 240,000-sf property will feature a 27,000-sf wellness center with two indoor pools and a cyber-cafe. The $13.5-million project will also include physician offices and an auditorium. The original building was constructed in approximately 1912.