Post by tonya on Mar 23, 2006 22:01:24 GMT -5
March 23, 2006
Halifax Medical Center to grow right where it is
DAYTONA BEACH -- After months of speculation, Halifax Medical Center announced it's getting bigger and staying put in the heart of the city.
Volusia County's largest hospital will increase its beds by more than a third and the overall size of its facility by 50 percent in a $200 million project that includes a 10-story tower with 207 private rooms.
Plans announced Wednesday also show Halifax's emergency department -- the state's fourth busiest -- quadrupling in size. Some of its 107 beds will increase the capacity of the trauma center -- the only one in Volusia and Flagler counties. Seven of the tower's 10 floors will be occupied immediately after its scheduled completion in 2009 and the remaining three finished in future years.
"This will be the single biggest project Halifax has launched since we opened our doors in 1928," said Dan Lang, Halifax's administrator.
After the new tower is completed, plans call for renovating the current hospital into private rooms.
Taxpayers won't be picking up the tab for the new tower, officials vowed Wednesday.
"We will not build these buildings on the shoulders of taxpayers," said Mori Hosseini, president of the Halifax board. He praised the efforts of Halifax's financing department to secure the lowest lending rate possible and increasing Halifax's bond rating to triple A.
In the final analysis, officials said, the estimated $1 billion cost of building a complete new facility convinced administrators and hospital board commissioners that the current facility is too valuable to abandon. The project will be paid for by issuing $150 million in 30-year bonds and $50 million in fund raising.
Previously, Halifax officials planned to build on a 230-acre parcel on LPGA Boulevard that they bought for $17 million in 2003.
Hosseini said the plans announced Wednesday have been thoroughly reviewed by the hospital's board in closed-door, strategic planning sessions. But the board must vote on the project. Hosseini said he expects unanimous board approval during open session.
Doctors with admitting privileges at Halifax were enthusiastic about the expansion when contacted Wednesday.
"It's pretty exciting -- I think it's the best decision they could have made," said Dr. Carl Lentz, who works at Halifax and its chief rival, Florida Hospital Ormond Memorial. "I think that building two brand-new hospitals a mile apart really doesn't serve the community."
Dr. Chris Stanley, an obstetrician/gynecologist at both hospitals, said the news was enthusiastically received at a staff meeting Tuesday night. "Private rooms make a big difference, not only for privacy but also infection control," he said.
Soon after Halifax announced its purchase of the LPGA Boulevard property as the site of a future replacement facility, Florida Hospital Ormond Memorial unveiled plans to build a new hospital -- with all private rooms -- two miles down the road. Florida Hospital jumped ahead of Halifax with its plans and received state approval to go ahead with its project in December 2004. Halifax fought the approval, but dropped its challenge when Florida Hospital agreed to do more with indigent patients.
Halifax said it doesn't have any plans to sell the LPGA property -- and is moving ahead to fulfill its sales contract with Consolidated Tomoka Land Co., which requires Halifax to build two buildings on the property before 2009. Jeff Feasel, Halifax president and chief executive officer, said the 230-acre parcel would allow Halifax to keep its options open as the area grows.
"It could be a potential hospice center, or offices for Florida Health Care," he said, referring to two components of Halifax Community Health System.
Feasel said Florida Hospital's plans have nothing to do with Halifax's announcement Wednesday.
"We make decisions based on the needs of the community -- not on the basis of other providers," he said.
Bill McMunn, president of Consolidated Tomoka, said he's not sure Wednesday's announcement means Halifax won't be moving northwest -- eventually. "I still predict in future years they will be out there," he said.
But Halifax officials said a third tower could be built on the existing campus when needed.
To accommodate enough parking for the expansion, the hospital -- through its lawyers and a Realtor -- has already purchased at least 16 homes in the adjacent neighborhood. Plans are to buy 25 more.
Rosemarie Higgs, a 16-year resident of the neighborhood, said she feels better about leaving her home now that she knows why mysterious real estate agents have approached her in the last few months.
"To start over again, it's kind of unfortunate," said Higgs, a senior citizen who hasn't sold her home yet. "I want to take my time. But it's for a good cause."
Feasel said the project will keep Halifax on the cutting edge -- and retain the paying customers Halifax needs to maintain its world-class status while treating the county's poor patients.
"We don't want patients in the emergency room," Feasel said, referring to the shortage of beds the hospital experiences during the winter months. "We want them upstairs in bed being taken care of."
Dr. Al Smith, a former Halifax board member and staff doctor, said he was disappointed that Halifax didn't choose a location with easy access to Interstate 95 for its new facility. But he said he knows firsthand the hospital's need for more beds is immediate.
"I had to wait eight hours at home with chest pains before I could go to the hospital," Smith said. "I have patients that it takes them all day to get into the hospital. They've got to do something to uncork that quickly."
The plans are subject to approval at the city, county and state levels.
anne.geggis@news-jrnl.com
Halifax projects
Wednesday's announcement of a $200 million project at Halifax Community Health System includes a 10-story patient tower with 207 private patient rooms and a 107-bed emergency department. If approved by the hospital's board, construction is to begin next year, with completion in 2009. Other Halifax projects already under way:
· A $39 million, 80-bed satellite hospital in Port Orange; to open this fall.
· A $5.6 million, 18-bed hospice care center in West Volusia; to open this fall.
· A $2 million redo for the medical center's maternity ward with new paint, equipment and flooring, to be completed in the next few months.
· A $4.9 million project to replace hurricane-damaged windows in the medical center's existing patient tower.
So they are sitting on the property @ LPGA & Williamson, buying out the poor people's houses around their current location so they can build new 10 story facility and selling municipal bonds rated AAA to fund this. Interesting. You don't get triple A rating unless the finances are in excellent order.
Poor, poor Halifax Medical Center.
Tonya
Halifax Medical Center to grow right where it is
DAYTONA BEACH -- After months of speculation, Halifax Medical Center announced it's getting bigger and staying put in the heart of the city.
Volusia County's largest hospital will increase its beds by more than a third and the overall size of its facility by 50 percent in a $200 million project that includes a 10-story tower with 207 private rooms.
Plans announced Wednesday also show Halifax's emergency department -- the state's fourth busiest -- quadrupling in size. Some of its 107 beds will increase the capacity of the trauma center -- the only one in Volusia and Flagler counties. Seven of the tower's 10 floors will be occupied immediately after its scheduled completion in 2009 and the remaining three finished in future years.
"This will be the single biggest project Halifax has launched since we opened our doors in 1928," said Dan Lang, Halifax's administrator.
After the new tower is completed, plans call for renovating the current hospital into private rooms.
Taxpayers won't be picking up the tab for the new tower, officials vowed Wednesday.
"We will not build these buildings on the shoulders of taxpayers," said Mori Hosseini, president of the Halifax board. He praised the efforts of Halifax's financing department to secure the lowest lending rate possible and increasing Halifax's bond rating to triple A.
In the final analysis, officials said, the estimated $1 billion cost of building a complete new facility convinced administrators and hospital board commissioners that the current facility is too valuable to abandon. The project will be paid for by issuing $150 million in 30-year bonds and $50 million in fund raising.
Previously, Halifax officials planned to build on a 230-acre parcel on LPGA Boulevard that they bought for $17 million in 2003.
Hosseini said the plans announced Wednesday have been thoroughly reviewed by the hospital's board in closed-door, strategic planning sessions. But the board must vote on the project. Hosseini said he expects unanimous board approval during open session.
Doctors with admitting privileges at Halifax were enthusiastic about the expansion when contacted Wednesday.
"It's pretty exciting -- I think it's the best decision they could have made," said Dr. Carl Lentz, who works at Halifax and its chief rival, Florida Hospital Ormond Memorial. "I think that building two brand-new hospitals a mile apart really doesn't serve the community."
Dr. Chris Stanley, an obstetrician/gynecologist at both hospitals, said the news was enthusiastically received at a staff meeting Tuesday night. "Private rooms make a big difference, not only for privacy but also infection control," he said.
Soon after Halifax announced its purchase of the LPGA Boulevard property as the site of a future replacement facility, Florida Hospital Ormond Memorial unveiled plans to build a new hospital -- with all private rooms -- two miles down the road. Florida Hospital jumped ahead of Halifax with its plans and received state approval to go ahead with its project in December 2004. Halifax fought the approval, but dropped its challenge when Florida Hospital agreed to do more with indigent patients.
Halifax said it doesn't have any plans to sell the LPGA property -- and is moving ahead to fulfill its sales contract with Consolidated Tomoka Land Co., which requires Halifax to build two buildings on the property before 2009. Jeff Feasel, Halifax president and chief executive officer, said the 230-acre parcel would allow Halifax to keep its options open as the area grows.
"It could be a potential hospice center, or offices for Florida Health Care," he said, referring to two components of Halifax Community Health System.
Feasel said Florida Hospital's plans have nothing to do with Halifax's announcement Wednesday.
"We make decisions based on the needs of the community -- not on the basis of other providers," he said.
Bill McMunn, president of Consolidated Tomoka, said he's not sure Wednesday's announcement means Halifax won't be moving northwest -- eventually. "I still predict in future years they will be out there," he said.
But Halifax officials said a third tower could be built on the existing campus when needed.
To accommodate enough parking for the expansion, the hospital -- through its lawyers and a Realtor -- has already purchased at least 16 homes in the adjacent neighborhood. Plans are to buy 25 more.
Rosemarie Higgs, a 16-year resident of the neighborhood, said she feels better about leaving her home now that she knows why mysterious real estate agents have approached her in the last few months.
"To start over again, it's kind of unfortunate," said Higgs, a senior citizen who hasn't sold her home yet. "I want to take my time. But it's for a good cause."
Feasel said the project will keep Halifax on the cutting edge -- and retain the paying customers Halifax needs to maintain its world-class status while treating the county's poor patients.
"We don't want patients in the emergency room," Feasel said, referring to the shortage of beds the hospital experiences during the winter months. "We want them upstairs in bed being taken care of."
Dr. Al Smith, a former Halifax board member and staff doctor, said he was disappointed that Halifax didn't choose a location with easy access to Interstate 95 for its new facility. But he said he knows firsthand the hospital's need for more beds is immediate.
"I had to wait eight hours at home with chest pains before I could go to the hospital," Smith said. "I have patients that it takes them all day to get into the hospital. They've got to do something to uncork that quickly."
The plans are subject to approval at the city, county and state levels.
anne.geggis@news-jrnl.com
Halifax projects
Wednesday's announcement of a $200 million project at Halifax Community Health System includes a 10-story patient tower with 207 private patient rooms and a 107-bed emergency department. If approved by the hospital's board, construction is to begin next year, with completion in 2009. Other Halifax projects already under way:
· A $39 million, 80-bed satellite hospital in Port Orange; to open this fall.
· A $5.6 million, 18-bed hospice care center in West Volusia; to open this fall.
· A $2 million redo for the medical center's maternity ward with new paint, equipment and flooring, to be completed in the next few months.
· A $4.9 million project to replace hurricane-damaged windows in the medical center's existing patient tower.
So they are sitting on the property @ LPGA & Williamson, buying out the poor people's houses around their current location so they can build new 10 story facility and selling municipal bonds rated AAA to fund this. Interesting. You don't get triple A rating unless the finances are in excellent order.
Poor, poor Halifax Medical Center.
Tonya
