A small group of officials from both Bradford Regional Medical
Center and its auxiliary, along with a teacher from Bradford Area
High School, walk into what will become the new entrance to the
medical facility. Their eyes go straight up.
They are greeted with a sun-filled atrium topped with a glass
ceiling. Their lips purse together as they start to say, “wow.”
Yes, visitors, as well as everything else, are looking up for
the facility’s $14.5 million project.
A tour lead by Glen Washington, senior vice president of
operations, gave some visitors a first-hand look at what’s to come
in December when this phase of the project will be completed.
“Everything is still on time and budget,” Washington said,
adding immediately after the addition is completed, work will begin
on Phase II -ðrenovation of the emergency and surgical
departments.
But for now, the focus is on the five-story addition that will
allow the hospital to address the outpatient needs of the
community.
“What the renovation allowed us to do was concentrate outpatient
services in one location,” Washington said. “Much more convenient
for patients and families to access outpatient services.”
The change will be apparent from the moment someone drives up to
the hospital.
“There is a new main entrance,” Washington said. “A loop
driveway … you can drop people off at the front door.”
“I am real excited about the new entrance.”
There will also be two memorial gardens – one where the old
outpatient entrance was and the other near where the Hamsher House
is standing now.
“It brings a little of the outdoors inside,” Washington said,
adding Bob Stewart of DuBois has been doing the landscape
design.
Washington said the Hamsher House could be demolished in January
or February.
The outdoor feel will continue into the building with the
atrium.
“It will have a much more open and airy feel,” Washington said.
“This is an opportunity to bring a little bit of nature
inside.”
Washington added the atrium extends into the side of the
building from the exterior canopy “bringing in natural light into
the main lobby … it will have a pretty dramatic effect when
finished.”
The large windows will also help bring in the light and the
outdoors.
Once inside the building, straight ahead, an art alcove will be
set up as the first visual visitors will see. Granite Roseart green
will be the backdrop to a piece of art on a table, Washington
said.
A “wall of history” or donor wall will be on the right with new
plaques noting who donated money for the expansion project.
There’s also a corridor that extends from the new addition to
the old part of the hospital.
As the main lobby directs people to the outpatient services, it
will also direct traffic flow past HeartStrings, the hospital’s
gift shop, according to auxiliary president Dave Sheneman.
HeartStrings will double in size and include more storage and a
bigger kitchen.
“There will be more places in the cafe for people to come in and
wait,” HeartStrings Executive Director Ginny Digel-Neel said.
Shop students at Bradford High will work on the project,
including building the shelving for the new gift shop.
Fred Proper, a teacher at Bradford Area High School, said
students have already started the design portion of the units that
will be installed in HeartStrings.
The students will be able to begin working on the units within
the first few weeks of school.
The students have three team leaders – or foremen – to oversee
the job.
“Our students very rarely get the opportunity to get on a
construction site,” Proper said. “This is unbelievably valuable …
to work a project all the way through.”
The idea was broached by auxiliary volunteers, Washington said.
They approached teachers Proper and Scot Oxley about students
building some of the cabinetry.
“They do very nice work,” Washington said. “It’s an exciting
aspect to the project and to the gift shop … good teachable
moments.”
The entire addition was designed to cater to the needs of the
patients and allow easy access to the physicians.
The second floor, new cancer and new heart center will be
convenient for both.
“It will have everything they need in here rather than having to
find their way around,” Washington said. “People don’t have to
travel that far, just a few short steps.”
The oncology treatment – infusion room – will have “fantastic
views” of Bradford.
“A very nice atmosphere for people to come in and get their
treatments,” Washington said.
The third floor will house the general vascular surgical suite
and neurosciences suite, where the sleep lab will return to the
main BRMC campus.
The fourth floor is set aside for pediatric offices. There’s
also space on the third and fourth floors for expansion.
“We purposely had space for future growth,” Washington said.
The demand for the new space was so great, they had to switch
gears a little and keep the Medical Arts Building up. That building
is currently being renovated and will look much like the addition
from the outside.
Washington also mentioned the color schemes the physician
offices were allowed to choose from – burgundy, blue, green and
purple/mauve.
“They are very calming, cooling colors,” he said.
BBL Carlton LLC of Albany, N.Y., is the facilities management
firm.
