Project Talk: A conversation with Mark Baker, Valley Health Corporate Director of Construction Services & Project Management (Nov. 2009).

Q. What is next with the Campus Expansion Project?
A. On November 20 there will be a ribbon-cutting for the East Parking deck which will open shortly afterward. The deck will provide needed parking for employees, volunteers, visitors and physicians. The November 20 event also marks the kickoff of the Campus Expansion Project.

Q. A major center of activity will be in and around the Emergency Department. What will happen there?
Baker: Work begins this month preparing for changes in the ED, but you will still access it through the same doors until April. The ED entrance will be moved further to the right towards the back of MOB II. The space will include a new triage area and waiting room and will be used for about two years. Because the front the ED is a construction zone, we are building a 200’ long tunnel made of metal scaffolding, plywood, etc., leading to the new entrance.

Q. What about parking for the ED?
Baker: In March we are moving the helipad and we will have to eliminate a substantial number of ED parking spaces. We are contracting with a valet service to park cars for the public coming to the ED starting in April or early May. We also have to close the entrance on the ring road leading to the loading dock. We will cut in a new entrance several hundred feet to the left, opposite the maroon lot. That work begins in November and will be complete by January.

Q. What about the cardiac expansion and the laboratory project?
Baker: We will start work on both of those in January. The current Outpatient entrance will close in February. Patients will be directed to use the hospital's main entrance and free valet parking service will be available. For the lab project we have to close the Medical Staff Affairs entrance and direct traffic to a door to the north. Signage will be in place to direct traffic.

Q. Where will construction workers park?
Baker: We are building a surface lot in front of the Health Professions Building for them. The ground will be leveled and prepped with gravel for parking. They will use this throughout the project. When we are finished we will restore the area to grass.

Q. Will it be noisy?
Baker: Very few people will notice what is going on for the next month or two. Little earth will be moved so the campus will look much like it does now. The noise during the next several months will be connected with the construction of the temporary road to the loading dock, and work around medical gas farm next to the ED. The hard core heavy stuff won’t get going until February or March. At that time the large construction equipment will be mobilized and you will begin some changes to the shape of the campus.

Q. This must require a lot of planning.
Baker: We have a steering committee with Al Pilong, Todd Way and Kathy Tagnesi, as well as representatives from the architects, and contractor. We are working with each unit that will be impacted by the project.

Q. If someone has a question, what should they do?
Baker: I suggest they use the e-mail link on our website: marketingmail@valleyhealthlink.com and we will respond.