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Regarding the "New" hospital
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Posted by SrMalcontent Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:31:22 PST
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I was in contact with a reliable source -and friend- in Sacramento a few days ago, who assured me that the plans for the "new" hospital were to be passed out approved by the Office of Statewide Hospital Planning and Developement (OSHPD), within the next few weeks, right on the hoped for schedule of 3 to 4 years from the date (October 20, 2004) the then TVHD board of directors signed the contract with Aspen Street Architects, Inc.  ASAI is to be commended in getting the plans approved in that length of time rather than the usual 6 to 8 years it takes for approval for new construction plans by OSHPD.  (Ridiculous amount of wasted bureaucratic time, I know.)

When the approval is final, contracts for the actual building of the hospital should immediately be put out for bid.  I would hope that Mr. John Hicks, recently appointed as project manager by the TVHD Board of Directors, will write monthly  progress reports, to be carried by all of the local press, as to what is happening- what contracts have been signed, who has been hired to do the work, giving us a time line for all phases of the work, from digging trenches to roofing the facility.

As for the Seismic Safety bill deadline for replacement of our present Hospital (1/01/2008), TVHD has received a 5 year extension from OSHPD, which means that the 'new' building must be ready to be moved into by 1/01/2013.  This doesn't give us any extra time to build the new plant.  There must be no more delays and will be looking for reports of progress.

This is a project that is in large part being paid for by property taxes of the people of the TVHD.  It is a project we have worked long and hard to bring about.  Since the BoD election of 2006 to this date, all information regarding the project has been only that which has been OKayed for release by that Board.  The people in the district have their doubts that the project will ever come to furition and need to be asured that their money is being put to proper use.

Good luck to Mr Hicks!  Building a hospital California is quite different than building a rocket.

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Comment From: anonnymous

Mrs. King i did not see you at the board meeting last night but you want to come across like you have inside info. Who is your reliable Friend? According to hicks who is personally in communications with OSHPD The January 6 date is what they are hoping for in regarding to the approval of the hospital plans.Hicks did not say that the Jan 6 date was an assured deal. It is people like you spreading false info that gets people all worked up. I understand you volunteer with the guild and that's great,But who gave you the permission to be the Tehachapi Hospital spokes person.You need to shut your mouth and let Mr Hick's do his job. You comment about building a hospital is different then building a rocket. What did you mean by that comment.I was at the meeting last night and i have to say that i am impressed with Mr Hicks.Its about time we have someone in charge of the project.Let me finish by saying the last board decision to go with a module construction leaves alot to be desired.My kudos go out to Dr Conklin on tapping Mr Hicks to be the project manager. Comment From: JHicks

Joeann, I know you've been a dedicated, long time supporter of the hospital, and they certainly need more like you! Sure wish you could have been at last Wed. meeting. But the facts from your friend are off. Per the records at OSHPD and CHA studies, OSHPD averages 18-24 months for review and approval of a hospital of our size. We're currently at 21 months and OSHPD has averaged about 2 months per turnaround of our plans, which is again average. They're trying to complete the current 4th review cycle in just 40 days from start on Nov.27, which means about this Jan.6. Both OSHPD and ASAi are working hard right through the Christmas holidays to try and achieve this - an extraordinary effort! In the intervening years due to labor/materials increase and difficulties with the innovative modular construction concept, the two ASAi hospital additions just ahead of us are some 8-10+ months behind in schedule, and state-wide costs are running about $800-900+ / sq. ft. according to my numerous phone surveys. Hospital construction costs are rising about 18%/year according to the CHA. We're likewise currently running about 10 months behind schedule according to Aspen Street Architects, but they feel our construction costs will run less than the others because of "lessons learned" and the fact we're the first all-up, free-standing facility with hopefully less complications. Plus ASAi says they're working with the modular manufacturers to improve the pre-fab building elements. TVHD is currently looking hard at two issues: how can we make up the potentially approx. $15M+ shortfall (no actual bid price on our project to confirm future cost yet), and how do we make this ASAi design work in light of previous problems. We need the support of the community if we're going to make this work in spite of setbacks and delays. We're NOT interested in assigning blame or fault finding, just the most cost- and time-effective solution at an acceptable level of risk! I'll be glad to try and answer others' specific questions on the hospital development as things progress. Comment From: ProgressoDasani

Apparently the intent is to build an approx 30,000SF hospital? While costs have risen in the last several years, I don't think they've doubled. What was the hospital intended by the previous board when they floated the $15M bond issue? Has the scope increased since then? Comment From: SrMalcontent

In reply to the third comment, I do not know the square foot area of the propose building. In the beginning there were 4 'wards'- the extensions from the main body of the facility - that was decreased to 3, as it would have been prohibitivley expensive. Since then I do not believe the size has been changed. You would need to contact Alan Burgess or John Hicks to get those figures. Sorry I can't help. Sr M Comment From: JHicks

The current new hospital acute care building consisting of three wings and a main building is just over 34,000 sq. ft. The as-yet undesigned non-OSHPD "clinic building" is an additional 4200 sq. ft. All this along with the power/maintenance building totals almost 48,000 sq. ft. (including some covered walkway area). The latest construction costs are truly at least double what the TVHD assumed (hoped for?!) back in 2004 in part because the figures then were just too optimistic plus labor/materials have increased about 60% since then. Best actual survey shows ACUTE CARE space at $650-850 / sq. ft. construction cost and about $900-1000 / sq. ft. total overall project cost for new Calif. hospitals of ANY kind! Non-acute care or "non-OSHPD" space is of course much cheaper. The $15M bond of 2004 was based more on what the TVHD thought the public would actually support than what the hospital might cost back then; although their budget still showed they HOPED to complete construction with the $15M bond measure in any case. Since then the design has been downsized from about 56,000 sq. ft. to the present while still retaining the same "scope" or medical services envisioned back in 2004. Hope this helps folks understand the TVHD is trying hard to hang on to the medical capability they believe the community needs/deserves while still fighting delays, inflation, etc.