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Community Corner

Zoning Board Approves Stamford Hospital 'Single Phase' Expansion Plan

Hospital officials hope to have the facility complete by the spring of 2016, according to a report in the Stamford Advocate. Groundbreaking could come as soon as August, according to the report.

After taking in roughly six hours of testimony delivered during public hearings that took place over two days, the city Zoning Board has reportedly approved general development and final site plans for the second phase of 's planned .

The second phase of the project reportedly includes construction of an 11-story, 600,000-square-foot facility that will replace the hospital's main building on Shelburne Road. Hospital officials hope to have the facility complete by the spring of 2016, according to a report in the Stamford Advocate. Groundbreaking could come as soon as August, according to the report.

Last month hospital officials announced their decision to accelerate the project by completing most of it in a single phase, instead of in multiple phases over a period of 10 to 15 years, for a

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“The rationale behind this decision included consideration of the Hospital’s strong financial performance, favorable interest rates, as well as the overall cost savings to complete the plan in a single phase,” said Brian G. Grissler, Stamford Hospital’s president and CEO, in a recent press release. “Additionally, our goal is to deliver a first-class healthcare center to area residents as quickly as possible, with plans specifically designed to satisfy the growing needs of our patients.”

As per the press release, key features of the new hospital include:

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• New patient care units with all private rooms and private bathrooms, as well as centralized nurses’ stations for more flexible care delivery.

• An Emergency Department with separate treatment areas for trauma, cardiac, urgent, behavioral health and pediatric patients; 50% more treatment rooms; dedicated and easily accessible parking; and individual points of entry for walk-in and ambulance arrivals.

• Significantly larger surgical suites to accommodate the latest technology.

• A new Pediatric Unit in the Whittingham Pavilion adjacent to the current Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to centralize mother-child services.

• An expansion of the ICU from 16 to 24 beds, emphasizing the Hospital’s commitment to critical care and tertiary services.

• A central location for all Heart & Vascular Institute services, including Electrophysiology, Catheterization and Interventional Labs.

The Hospital has reportedly secured $250 million in bonding for the project. Additional funding is expected to come from philanthropy and hospital earnings, according to the release.

For more, check out the Stamford Advocate report.

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