Banner Health is continuing a hot streak of construction projects with the building of four East Valley health centers and the expansion of Banner Estrella.
A new, 144-bed patient tower is being added to the Banner Estrella Medical Center campus, at Loop 101 and Thomas Road in Phoenix.
“We are pleased to be able to grow in support of the needs of the communities we serve,” says Deb Krmpotic, CEO for Banner Estrella Medical Center.
The campus will undergo remodeling of existing obstetrical suites, the addition of a surgical suite, an increase in emergency department capacity and the construction of more visitor and staff parking. McCarthy Building Companies is the general contractor and SmithGroupJJR is the architect.
Other facility upgrades include numerous infrastructure improvements for future expansion, such as two, shelled patient bed floors, a new cardiac catheterization lab, three new operating rooms and additional medical imaging capabilities.
“This is especially important for our Women and Infants Services department and our emergency department, both of which are regularly at capacity due to our reputation for providing excellence in patient care,” Krmpotic says.
The tower is also expected to provide enough additional capacity to meet the demand for patient care services through 2018. Construction on this multi-phase project is anticipated to begin in August and be completed by 3Q 2015.
In conjunction with the expansion, the Banner Health Board of Directors also approved the creation of four new centers in the East Valley, which will cost approximately $45.2M and are expected to open in 2013.
These projects will mimic Banner Health Center in Maricopa, which opened in May, but will also reflect the community need. Centers are phased to grow as the patient base expands and will be able to nearly triple in size at full build out.
The new sites, with locations in Gilbert, Queen Creek, Chandler and East Mesa, will further the reach of Banner Health primary care services within Maricopa County. There will be access to general lab and imaging services, community health education and a mix of primary care service for everyone from babies to seniors.
Banner continues to expand its outpatient capabilities to other parts of the Valley as well. Two ambulatory projects are under construction in southwestern Maricopa County —Banner Verrado and Estrella Mountain.
The tower project will support patients from both ambulatory facilities, as well as new patients from Avondale, Buckeye, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Peoria, Surprise, Tolleson and West Phoenix.
Not only will both projects enhance the area’s community through the services provided, they will create jobs in construction and health care services.
