Akron Children’s Hospital (Akron, Ohio) recently opened its newly-expanded Considine Professional Building, which now houses most of the hospital’s outpatient clinics in one convenient location.
According to Grace Wakulchik, president & ceo of Akron Children’s, “The Considine Professional Building addition was designed with patient families in mind, providing a convenient, modern space with access to our many specialties and clinics. The addition also offers more space on the hospital campus for clinical areas that are growing, so we can serve more children and their families.”
The extensive, $84 million project nearly doubled the size of the existing building from 250,000 square feet to 480,000 square feet for outpatient services. The hospital used Integrated Lean Project Delivery during the planning process which resulted in cost savings from the original estimate of $101.3 million. The project also wrapped up more than a month ahead of schedule.
Construction on the addition began in March 2017 with Welty Building Co. serving as construction manager. Providing architectural and engineering design were Hasenstab Architects, Environmental Design Group, Thorson Baker + Associates and Bandwen Williams Kindbom Engineering.
The hospital’s NeuroDevelopmental Science Center and Sports Rehabilitation departments have expanded thanks to the project. Other departments and offices that moved into the addition are Adolescent Medicine, Gastroenterology, General Surgery and the Locust Pediatrics Care Group. The new outpatient lab and outpatient pharmacy are also open.
Still to come this year are moves for the Behavioral Health, Dermatology, Genetics and Rheumatology departments; the Vision Center will open in early 2019. The Garden Patch Bistro, a new dining option on the Akron Children’s campus, will open in November on level 2, near the Bowery Street entrance to the building.
Visitors will find the family-friendly building includes:
• Welcome Centers on levels 2 and 3 for patient families to register for their appointments before going to the office. Also available are self-serve check-in kiosks that feature a state-of-the-art UV disinfection system.
• Spacious family restrooms, featuring changing tables sized for both children and adults on levels 2 through 7.
• Lactation rooms for nursing mothers on levels 2 and 4.
• Connector bridges to the other Akron campus buildings and parking decks.
• Nearby parking in the attached P1 Bowery Deck or valet parking at the covered front entrance.
• Charging stations with cords for phones and tablets, located throughout waiting areas.
• Wide hallways to accommodate visitors with strollers and wheelchairs.
The 7-story building includes large windows for natural light. Each floor has a theme and color that provides a calm, soothing atmosphere. Mural-sized photographs of local children, many of whom are Akron Children’s patients, are also featured and correspond to the floor themes of water fun, parks, animals, the countryside, playgrounds, transportation and sports.
Philanthropic support was critical to the project. The building includes the Medical Mutual Welcome Center on level 3 and the Lois and John Orr Family Behavioral Health Center on level 2. Level 6 is home to the FedEx Gastroenterology Department.
When it opened in 2003, the building was named the Bowery Professional Building and cost $45 million to build. A year later, it was renamed the William H. Considine Professional Building to honor Bill Considine who recently transitioned to CEO Emeritus after nearly 40 years as president and CEO.