New Medical Tower

[G.Walker]

http://newsok.com/ou-regents-approve...rticle/5524239

"Boren said the not-for-profit status means all of the earnings will be plowed back into the operation, saving OU the $70 million to $80 million a year sent to HCA under the previous partnership.

The capital plan under the SSM Health agreement includes major renovations at the OU Medical Center, including a new inpatient tower and new equipment, he said."

http://newsok.com/article/5524216?slideout=1

An agenda item posted Wednesday morning stated the new partnership will involve building a new hospital tower.

[Colbafone]

This sounds absolutely awesome. If it's on par at all with the construction going on on campus in Norman, the OU HSC, which is already pretty cool, night be getting a huge boost. Sounds like it's much more than just a tower too!

Does this boost the probability of the capping of Broadway? HOLY CRAP, this area could be in for a MAJOR change in the coming years.

[bombermwc]

My question is where are they going to put it? Then what are they going to do with the existing tower? It (Presby) was one of the first places to offer private rooms, but they're small as crap. People my age find it crazy to think you ever had to share a room at a hospital. Even into the 80's some rooms were being constructed as double rooms though.

WIth that in mind, that's a WHOLE LOTTA ROOMS to replace from that old tower. The parking lot in front of the existing tower is really the only place they can go. That's from lack of vision under previous management in the sprawling low rise structures in front of the tower. They built themselves into a landlock.

[yukong]

While one of the reasons for this change of operation from HCA to SSA is the ability to return the profits to the facility there was a bigger and more important reason for this change. For several years, the physicians at OU physicians have been pushing for the change. They want the change for research grants. Because they were affiliated with a for-profit operator, they were having a hard if not impossible time getting major research grants. Now that they are going to be affiliated with a non-profit, expect to see more grants and more research at OU. That is a win win for everyone.

[Spartan]

This sounds absolutely awesome. If it's on par at all with the construction going on on campus in Norman, the OU HSC, which is already pretty cool, night be getting a huge boost. Sounds like it's much more than just a tower too!

Does this boost the probability of the capping of Broadway? HOLY CRAP, this area could be in for a MAJOR change in the coming years.

Good way of looking at it. Presently downtown gets sort of desolate to the northeast, but this really could be the direction in which amazing things happen. The medical stakeholders aren't going to move, and should always be expanding.

[Patrick]

My question is where are they going to put it? Then what are they going to do with the existing tower? It (Presby) was one of the first places to offer private rooms, but they're small as crap. People my age find it crazy to think you ever had to share a room at a hospital. Even into the 80's some rooms were being constructed as double rooms though.

WIth that in mind, that's a WHOLE LOTTA ROOMS to replace from that old tower. The parking lot in front of the existing tower is really the only place they can go. That's from lack of vision under previous management in the sprawling low rise structures in front of the tower. They built themselves into a landlock.

Presby Tower would remain. The new tower would be additional space. It will be built in the north parking lot of Presby, what now is basically the ER parking lot. The current parking garage east of Presby would be rebuilt and expanded to provide more parking space.

[HangryHippo]

Presby Tower would remain. The new tower would be additional space. It will be built in the north parking lot of Presby, what now is basically the ER parking lot. The current parking garage east of Presby would be rebuilt and expanded to provide more parking space.

Have you seen any preliminary plans? I was under the impression Presby and the PPOB would be torn down for the new tower and parking garage.

[Patrick]

Have you seen any preliminary plans? I was under the impression Presby and the PPOB would be torn down for the new tower and parking garage.

It's been about a year since I saw the original plans, but that was the plan at that point. This was back when I was a resident physician there. Why would they tear down Presby? That building isn't in that bad a shape.

[HangryHippo]

It's been about a year since I saw the original plans, but that was the plan at that point. This was back when I was a resident physician there. Why would they tear down Presby? That building isn't in that bad a shape.

That's just what I had heard. But plans change, and you're right, it's not in THAT bad of shape.

[OKCRT]

Presby Tower would remain. The new tower would be additional space. It will be built in the north parking lot of Presby, what now is basically the ER parking lot. The current parking garage east of Presby would be rebuilt and expanded to provide more parking space.

How many floors and how tall is the new tower going to be? When I hear the word "tower" that makes me think TALL. We need more tall towers,as many as we can get IMO.

[BB37]

Don't get too excited about the word "tower." I also saw plans for the building about two years ago, before everything stopped. As I recall, they were talking about 8-9 floors. Two floors were to be entirely ORs, and 2-3 floors for patient rooms. One or two floors were going to be left unfinished for future expansion.

And PPOB isn't going away. There's talk of recladding the exterior to improve the exterior appearance.

OUMS would **love*** to buy the Allergy Clinic building and demolish it. Problem is, the owners know it.

[shawnw]

Now that's something I wish would happen more often. Building an extra floor or two (OR designing for their future addition up front) but not finishing them out.

[Midtowner]

OUMS would **love*** to buy the Allergy Clinic building and demolish it. Problem is, the owners know it.

It would be an interesting case if they attempted to acquire the Allergy Clinic by eminent domain. I'm pretty sure a state owned hospital would be a public use... But it'd really be an interesting question under Oklahoma law. If they're so interested, I would assume they'd just try this rout first.

[bombermwc]

I think you'd hear a LOT about that if the hospital tried to bully them into it. If OU wants it bad enough, they'll pay for it, and the allergy folks have all the right in the world to hold out for the dollar amount they want. OUMC as a "public" entity is a pretty big stretch. But hey, the Midwest City Hospital Authority got involved with the city of MWC when they used eminent domain to clear out the houses on 29th street for Town Center. The city lost a class action lawsuit over it, but by then, it was all done and over....so did the city really lose????

Baptist is in the same spot. There simply isn't enough real estate on the grounds to do anything anymore without tearing something out and going vertical with more parking. You're going to have to build a 15 floor garage to consolidate all of the parking just to be able to fit something else there. And what's crazy is with OUMC, they could conceivably move more work to another space like they did the cancer group. Free up more room in the existing Presby space for the generic in-patient stuff. Problem is, they've done so much of that already, there isn't much left....hence where we are. I think my office at work is larger than some of those rooms in Presby tower though.....man. Some of this stuff is so spread out now, that it takes a good 30 minute walk to get around. I'm not sure if it's still this way, but for a while after the cancer center opened, you had to be rolled halfway across campus for a cat-scan/etc and then rolled back. That's a LONG trip when you feel like crap.