UTICA, N.Y. — Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) has selected an architectural firm and a construction manager for the planning, design and construction of the proposed downtown hospital.
MVHS chose New York City–based NBBJ as the architectural firm, MVHS said in a news release issued Monday. Turner Construction Company, which is also headquartered in New York City, will serve as the project’s construction manager.
Turner operates a Syracuse office at 500 Plum St. It was previously involved in the Gateway Center project at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
“We are excited to be able to begin this next phase as it means that we are getting that much closer to this project becoming a reality,” Scott Perra, president and CEO of MVHS, said in the health system’s release. “Both companies have extensive local and international experience, with projects in New York and around the United States as well as in many cities abroad. The companies are committed to working with our local businesses whenever possible to complete the project.”
MVHS is an affiliation of Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare and St. Elizabeth Medical Center (SEMC), both of Utica. The two organizations teamed up in March 2014.
The cost projection for the “integrated health campus” is about $480 million for a 750,000-square-foot facility, MVHS said.
MVHS selected NBBJ from a list of 19 of the “best health-care architects in the country,” David Connolly, senior VP of the Hammes Company, contended in the MVHS release.
“They bring a wealth of creative solutions that provide a platform of operational efficiency, sustainability and flexibility which will serve MVHS and the community for many years to come,” said Connolly.
Hammes Company, a Brookfield, Wisconsin–based health-care consulting firm, is the project-management company that MVHS hired to facilitate the new hospital project.
NBBJ and Turner have extensive experience working with one another, MVHS said. Together, they have completed more than $2.6 billion in projects, including “many” that were focused on health care.
“Turner Construction is one of the top construction-management firms in the world. Its experience will be instrumental as we work through a complex construction project in an urban center,” said Connolly. “Its team brings a safety record which places the care of the workers and the public as its highest priority. Hammes Company has had the honor of working with Turner on other very high-profile projects and we’re looking forward to continuing our relationship on this project.”
Funding pursuit
At the same time, MVHS “continues to work” on the final funding plan for the project.
The organization is working with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) on the request for approval for the $300 million which it will submit to the NYSDOH before the end of January.
Officials anticipate hearing from NYSDOH by the end of February as to the disposition of the funding.
MVHS in early November had indicated that the planning and design for the hospital would begin once the NYSDOH “finalizes the disposition” of the $300 million in New York State funding.
Information session
MVHS will hold a Tuesday “information session and community dialogue” event focused on the development of the proposed downtown health campus.
MVHS will hold two sessions from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Grande Ballroom at the Radisson Hotel-Utica Centre, the organization said.
The event will include a project update and allow attendees “to participate in the development of the project’s guiding principles.”
Those principals focus on what a new hospital and health-care campus should “strive to achieve.”
Attendees will also work to develop factors for the project steering committee to consider throughout the planning and design phases, MVHS said.
“This new health campus is an exciting opportunity for our region and we want the community to be involved,” Perra said in the release. “The guiding principles identified at this event will highlight key areas that our project steering committee will consider as the development process advances.”
MVHS selected the Radisson because it has space for a large group presentation and breakout groups, the organization said.
Should the event exceed capacity, MVHS will schedule additional meetings, it added.
For those who are unable to attend, MVHS will post the presentation portion of the event at www.mvhealthsystem.org. People can also submit questions or comments to this address: community@mvhealthsystem.org.
Tuesday’s event is “one of many community-input opportunities planned” as the project advances, MVHS said.
It also plans to hold individual meetings, group presentations and neighborhood and community-wide forums.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com