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Hospital project taking shape

Photos: New hospital taking shape

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Construction crews pour the first of many concrete decks that will make up the first floor of the new Springfield Regional Medical Center. The June 19 pouring brought the project above ground level for the first time since its October ground breaking. Staff photo by Marshall Gorby

Portions of first floor, columns visible at site

By Kelly Mori, Staff Writer Updated 7:50 AM Tuesday, June 23, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — Things are looking up for the new Springfield Regional Medical Center — literally.

Construction crews last week poured the inaugural layer of concrete on the first floor of the city’s new hospital at the corner of North and Plum streets, putting the project above ground level for the first time since its October ground-breaking.

The pour was one of about seven or eight to be laid for the first floor alone, said project director Kevin O’Brien of the Danis Building Construction Co.

“We’re 50 percent poured out on the garden level, which is the basement level,” O’Brien said. “We have started the superstructure work and we should have the garden level completely poured out by the end of June.”

Support columns for the five-story hospital will be poured through the month and are now visible from the street. Between 80 and 100 workers are laboring on the site daily.

“Construction is going very good,” O’Brien said. “We’ve been able to keep our schedule.”

The deadline for bids on the main package for the exterior shell, brick, glass and exterior sheeting is today. Danis expects to award that contract by July 1.

While the first floor is being laid, Community Mercy Foundation laid a foundation for fundraising this month, announcing the beginning of its major capital gifts campaign for the $235 million hospital campus.

Once the Springfield Regional Medical Center is complete, it will house 254 private rooms, an expanded emergency department and a women’s health pavilion.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0347

or kmori@coxohio.com.

»View more photos of the Springfield Regional Medical Center in our online gallery.

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