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Children's Hospital Oakland Announces Plans to Rebuild in Oakland
Expansion Plans Based on Aging Facility, Growth in the Region and Mandatory Seismic Upgrades
September 5, 2007
The board of directors of Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland has approved a plan to rebuild a world-class pediatric medical center on its current site in Oakland. The new medical facility will be constructed on land between 52nd and 53rd Streets near the hospital’s main campus. The hospital will continue to operate in its current facility during construction, which is expected to begin in 2010 and must be completed by 2013 to meet the State’s deadline for seismic upgrades.
A series of community meetings is planned to present the building project to the hospital’s neighbors, solicit input and listen to concerns from residents. “We realize this building project will impact our neighbors and it is our commitment to preserve their quality of life as much as possible,” said Mary Dean, Senior Vice President, External Affairs.
The expansion project will increase the hospital’s capacity from 171 on-site pediatric beds to approximately 250 private patient rooms. The hospital opened in 1912. The nearly 100-year-old facility does not meet California’s new stringent seismic requirements and must be replaced.
“This is an historic time for our hospital and the community that depends on our services,” said Frank Tiedemann, CEO & President. “The construction of our new medical center provides a long awaited opportunity to match the excellence of our medical staff with a superb facility. We’re treating an increasing number of children with some of the most complex and serious illnesses. We need a new building to give them the best possible healthcare experience.”
Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland is a center for excellence in pediatric healthcare, research, child advocacy and medical training. It is the region’s only independent children’s hospital and frequently operates at maximum capacity especially during the winter season. Last year, the hospital cared for more than 180,000 children in our outpatient clinic and recorded more than 50,000 emergency room visits. These demands explain why the hospital, which is one of Northern California’s largest designated Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Centers, has outgrown its original home.
Starting in 1990 the hospital began leasing off-site beds due to overwhelming demand for its services. The following year in 1991 the hospital expanded its services through satellite clinics and currently has a total of four off-site clinics. The combination of new seismic requirements, the hospital’s nearly 100-year-old facility and increasing patient demand are reasons the hospital must rebuild.
Construction is expected to cost approximately $700 million. The hospital plans to finance the new medical center through three sources including $173 million in past and future State bonds, $150 million raised through private donations and $300 million from “The Children’s Hospital Construction Fund” measure, which is a modest $2 per month parcel tax on residential properties in Alameda County. The measure includes a $100 a year assessment on small non-residential properties and $250 for large non-residential properties annually. Residents over age 65 and the disabled are exempt from paying the assessment.
Children’s Hospital Oakland’s mission is to ensure the delivery of high quality pediatric care for all children. Our doctors and nurses provide expert care in 31 pediatric specialties regardless of a family’s ability to pay for our services. The hospital stands as the medical safety net for thousands of children who would not otherwise have access to vital health services.
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