Credit: Lantern File Photo
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Board approved three proposals regarding construction and property acquisition on Wednesday.
The Board approved a renovation of the sixth and seventh floor neonatal intensive care unit in Doan Hall, an expansion and renovation of the west wing of the Ohio State University Hospital East and the acquisition of property in Delaware County. All items will have to be voted on by the full Board of Trustees on Friday.
The renovation of Doan will enter the design and bidding phase immediately and is planned to last until July 2019, with construction scheduled to begin August 2019 and to finish February 2020.
The goal of the construction is to improve the standard of care by providing more room, unifying the NICU and providing a central entrance to the unit.
The project is in conjunction with Nationwide Children’s Hospital and is expected to cost $7.5 million dollars with costs to be split evenly with Nationwide. Ohio State’s portion of the funds would come from auxiliary funds and is included in the 2018 fiscal year capital investment plan.
The OSU East project meanwhile has already gone through the design phase and came before the board on Wednesday for approval to begin construction.
The expansion and renovation of the first floor of the hospital tower will expand and redesign operating rooms, pre-operative/PACU space and the respiratory suite. The renovation also will create a more accessible and aesthetically pleasing entrance for patients.
Construction at OSU East will begin in September and is planned to finish January 2020 with the project costing $26 million coming from auxiliary funds as outlined in the fiscal year 2017 capital improvement plan.
The Board also approved acquisition of property in Delaware County at the corner of Sawmill Parkway and Home Road with the property to be used for the construction of an ambulatory care facility.
The purchase of the property will be contingent upon the university securing any necessary zoning changes and will cost $8 million. The actual purchase of the property will be completed by the state of Ohio and transferred to the university with Wexner Medical Center providing the funds.
This facility will continue the medical center’s goal of expanding ambulatory care as outlined in its strategic plan.
