VCU news

By Marcia Meredith

Today (Sept. 14), Virginia Commonwealth University officials and city leaders broke ground for the nine-story Gateway Building at VCU’s Medical College of Virginia Hospitals. Located at the corner of 12^th and Marshall streets on VCU’s medical campus, the $39 million structure will serve as the hospital’s front entrance.

Slated to open in June 2001, the nearly 200,000-square-foot building will connect Main Hospital to the Nelson Clinic, providing an important link between inpatient and outpatient care.

"For the first time, patients will be welcomed at a central entrance," said Carl Fischer, chief executive officer of VCU’s MCV Hospitals. "Because of its location, the Gateway Building will provide easy access to both inpatient and outpatient treatment areas."

The clinical facilities to be housed in the building include: an out-patient testing center; a short-stay recovery area; treatment areas for minimally invasive surgery, surgical pathology, pulmonary function, echocardiography and cardiac electrophysiology; a mammography area; and endoscopy, dialysis and transplant suites. Other highlights will include a telemedicine site, a 200-seat auditorium, a food court, a circular drive for patient drop-off and pick-up and valet service.

Following the ground breaking, in November the Medical Office Building on 12^th Street and the pedestrian walkway connecting Main Hospital to the Nelson Clinic will be razed and the entrances to Main Hospital will be closed. At that time, vehicle and pedestrian traffic will be prohibited on 12^th Street between Marshall and Clay streets except for emergency vehicle access and patients requiring emergency treatment. All other traffic will be routed to the Visitor/Patient Parking Deck adjacent to Main Hospital off Clay Street. After excavation during December, Gateway’s steel framework will be erected in January and February.

The Gateway Building is part of a $65 million bond package of construction projects launched earlier this year that includes the expansion and renovation of several patient service areas. The replacement of 500 patient beds throughout the critical and acute-care units and elevator upgrades in the Visitor/Patient Parking Deck recently have been completed. Additionally, there are plans to consolidate the Nelson Clinic’s obstetrical and gynecological services into what will be known as the Women’s Health Center.

"These projects demonstrate our commitment to providing state-of-the-art facilities," Fischer said. "Most notably, the Gateway Building will allow room for consolidating and expanding patient services that are now located in various areas throughout the campus."

The projects will be financed through revenue bonds approved by the MCV Hospitals Authority in December 1998.