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Ceremony marks new phase of $235M project

By Kelly Mori, Staff Writer Updated 7:49 AM Thursday, December 17, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — More than 100 individuals witnessed the placing of the last three beams at the new Springfield Regional Medical Center on Wednesday, Dec. 16, during a “topping-out” ceremony at the new hospital campus at the corner of North and Yellow Springs streets.

The three beams, covered with the signatures of residents, nurses, doctors and local officials, were lifted under the direction of Springfield cardiologist Dr. Akber Mohammed, birthing center nurse Rebecca Dupras and former heart surgery patient Paul Luttrull of New Carlisle. The three were assisted by attendees who shouted “lift that beam,” while tower cranes hoisted the beams, each of which were decorated with an American flag and an evergreen tree. The trees were chosen to represent the new growth the building represents, said Mark Wiener, CEO of Community Mercy Health Partners, the parent corporation of Springfield Regional Medical Center.

The moment was historic but not the last one the community will witness before the hospital opens its doors in 2012, Wiener said.

“I look for many more positive milestones like this,” he said of the $235 million, 475,000 square foot project that will consolidate the city’s two aging hospitals on Fountain Boulevard and High Street.

The celebration was just the latest sign the city is moving forward, said City Manager Jim Bodenmiller.

“This is just one more step today towards what we believe to be a bright future for Springfield,” Bodenmiller said. “We’ve got the white water project just starting on the second phase, Center City Park getting ready to start, the ice arena location announced and here today we’re celebrating the hospital’s topping out.”

Community Hospital Health Services Foundation executive director Faye Flack took the ceremony as an opportunity to remind attendees that the new hospital will preserve the reproductive services promised after the merger of the city’s secular and Catholic hospitals in 2004.

The ceremony also marked the beginning of a new construction phase for the project said Kevin O’Brien, Danis project director.

“We’re very pleased that the structure is up and completed in such a good time,” he said “Next will be the shell. We’re going to start masonry next week. And we’re going to start enclosing the building this winter.

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jim

jimdanis
2:21 PM, 12/21/2009

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Well, one can only hope that some fat@ss lawyers didn't settle outta court on that one! Time will out the truth...always does.

MaryPatJosephs
6:25 PM, 12/17/2009

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That's true, GodKnows, and the internet makes it this type of information available to all. It's a shame those issues were never acknowledged recently as part of the hospital's history. When things aren't talked about like that, it oftentimes looks as if it's a deliberate attempt to conceal them.

RxHope
6:20 PM, 12/17/2009

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People will always wonder about the hospital because of the "Pavulon" incidents at Community Hospital that occured all those years ago. There was no true resolution. Only questions unanswered. I wonder if it at all played any role in the hospital's re-organization as there is no statute of limitations on a crime if it were eventually revealed to have happened. What a very sad situation.

GodKnows
6:06 PM, 12/17/2009

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Springfield is famous? LOL 'infamous or famous'?..always get those confused.

Michael
4:19 PM, 12/17/2009

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