CMHS Construction Updates Building a New Community Memorial Hospital Modernizing Ojai Valley Community Hospital

November 2010 CMHS Project Bulletin

GARY K. WILDE President & CEO,
Community Memorial Health System

This installment of the CMHS Project Bulletin details some exciting news: Two building projects are nearing completion. The new Cancer Center is a beautiful addition to our Ventura medical campus and will soon provide patients with state-of-the-art care in a peaceful, healing environment. In Ojai, the PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit) is in the final phase of construction and will offer surgical patients a modern area to recover. We've detailed both of these projects in this bulletin, as well as provided you with an update on construction of the new hospital.

As one could imagine, a construction project of this magnitude is a massive undertaking. Building the new hospital is a four-pronged parallel process:We must receive approval from the city; receive approval from the state; secure financing, and-fourth-ensure that all of the design elements of the building and surrounding areas come together.

For the past several years, we have been diligently working with the city on every aspect of the project. This included the Environmental Impact Review, which was recently finalized.With the full support of the Ventura City Council, City Manager and staff, we are currently moving through the final approval process, which included a meeting with the Design Review Committee in late October. In mid-November, we will meet with the Planning Commission for the finishing steps of the Memorandum of Understanding (street closures, land swaps, parking, etc.), and then the project goes before City Council in December for their final approval.

Concurrently, we have been working with the State of California. Although we had hoped to have final approval by now, this process has been slightly delayed due to the state's fiscal crisis (offices closing, furlough days). Our project has moved from Sacramento to the Los Angeles Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) and we are now working towards approval in February.

Regarding financing, we are looking at both an FHA option or financing through Cal Mortgage. While we continue to explore our financing options, final loan approval cannot take place until the project is sanctioned by OSHPD.

In tandem, we continue to work with the architects and the contractor to ensure the design elements meet expectations and that the project costs stay within budget.We remain confident as project and construction costs have come down as we've gotten closer to approval.

The Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) is in the final stages with with contractors currently completing “punch list” items noted by the architects. Once those items are completed, hospital officials will contact the California Office of State Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). The state must review and inspect the area before issuing a Certificate of Occupancy. Barring any unforeseen delays, hospital officials anticipate the PACU will be open by the end of November. Once the PACU is functioning, the much-needed parking lot paving of the entire campus will occur between November 22 to 26, weather permitting.All hospital and skilled nursing facilities will be open during this project.

As workers continue the finishing touches on both the exterior and interior of the building, a major component to completing the Cancer Center took place in October. One of two accelerators was installed in the radiation vault. Physicists were then brought in to test and calibrate this incredibly important piece of machinery. Following that, they turned the machine off and are leaving it idle for up to five weeks. If the equipment remains calibrated and passes final testing once they turn it back on in early November, it will receive state approval for patient use.

In October, the exterior scaffolding was removed and painting began. Additionally, all of the glass features and windows – which took nearly two months to install – were completed. Part of the building's design includes two large, glass-enclosed linear galleries that are visible from Loma Vista Road and Joanne Street, as well as the center's parking lot. Hospital officials have partnered with the city's public art program to fill these spaces with artwork produced by local artists. Additionally, on the corner of Loma Vista and Brent Street the exterior will be highlighted by a serpentine accent garden that will feature palm trees and a 1950s flavor.

Tradesmen and women also completed the exterior's roughly 140-foot covered walkway, irrigation system, a majority of the perimeter's low-level landscaping, the reflecting pond and sidewalks. The architects note that the sidewalk paving is from days gone by and will feature sparkling quartz accents.

Craftsmen are also putting the final touches on the large lobby area, which will be highlighted by a two-story terrazzo staircase that is hung by cables – giving the impression that it is floating in the air. The staircase wraps around a central tile mosaic mural nearly 18 feet tall serving as an amazing focal point in the lobby.

The building designers note that the use of colors and materials in the Cancer Center are nature-based to provide a calm, healing environment. As an example, the elevators have bamboo-textured walls. The architects also focused on making the area as open and airy as possible, filled with natural light.

This remarkable addition to the CMH grounds has remained on time and on budget. Excluding any unforeseen delays, the Cancer Center is scheduled to open in mid-November.

Gary K. Wilde, President & CEO
Community Memorial Health System