Outpatient Projects: Kaiser unveils outpatient facilities

Provider completes Colorado and California centers; starts process for another

By Murray W. Wolf

Healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente recently opened new outpatient facilities in Lone Tree, Colo., and Oceanside, Calif., and started the approval process for another facility in Murrieta, Calif. The new 275,000 square foot Lone Tree Multi-Specialty Center in Lone Tree, a south Denver suburb, opened for business in December. The project, which included 1,200 surface parking spaces, is situated just west of U.S. Interstate 25 and across the highway from the Regional Transportation District (RTD) Lincoln light rail station. Located at 10240 Park Meadows Drive, the outpatient center is the first component of what Kaiser ultimately envisions as a 20-acre integrated campus.

Brookfield, Wis.-based healthcare consulting firm Hammes Co., the project manager, says it was brought on board “to provide supplemental project management leadership and expertise from a clinical perspective.” The Lone Tree project was driven by growing patient volumes and a demand for a wider array of services in the south metro area of Denver, Hammes says.

Kaiser Permanente Colorado, the state’s largest health plan, has indeed seen rapid growth in recent years. Statewide membership has climbed 10.5 percent to more than 540,000 members since 2010, including 128,000 in Denver’s south metro.

In addition to its downtown Denver facility, Kaiser Permanente Colorado opened a specialty center in Lafayette in 2005, followed by medical offices in Parker in 2009 and Castle Rock in 2011.

The new Lone Tree Multi-Specialty Center is Kaiser’s 27th medical office in Colorado and its largest construction project in the state in nearly a decade. It says the project represents the next phase of its south Denver expansion of services.

“The Lone Tree medical offices bring specialty care closer to you,” Donna Lynne, president of Kaiser Permanente Colorado said in a news release. “If you live south of Denver and need to see an allergist, visit the ophthalmologist, have routine preventive screenings such as a mammogram or colonoscopy, or even same-day surgery or minor procedures – it’s all here. We are meeting you where you are.”

Kaiser Permanente’s project goals included quality control, sustainability and best-in-class ancillary departments, including outpatient surgery and imaging, according to Hammes.

The specialties and services offered include infusion services, laboratory, oncology, obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN), ambulatory and general surgery, allergy care, gastroenterology, orthopedics, clinical palliative care, physical/occupational therapy, optometry, hearing services, a café, and a pharmacy.

“Partnering with an organization as renowned and respected as Kaiser Permanente was a significant opportunity for Hammes Company and it was one which we did not take lightly,” Hammes Co. President and Chief Operating Officer Richard Galling said in a news release. “We provided ample flexibility in our hospital development approach to complement their expert internal teams.”

The Lone Tree facility is on track for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and includes several features intended to enhance the sustainability of the building, including the use of recycled materials, low-flow plumbing and a shading system designed to reduce the need for air conditioning.

“This is a remarkable facility for many reasons, including the mix of specialists and provision of care,” David Dike, senior project executive with Hammes Co.’s Englewood office, said in the news release. “For the benefit of the patients and staff, several unique features were incorporated, such as outdoor spaces with views of the Rocky Mountains, convenient parking and access for discharged patients and car-charging stations for electric vehicles.”

The architect was Davis Partnership Architects, Denver, in a joint venture with Bennett Wagner & Grody Architects PC, Denver. The general contractor was the Aurora, Colo., office of Adolfson & Peterson Construction; the electrical engineer was ME Engineers of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and the structural engineer was Martin/Martin Inc. of Lakewood, Colo.

Kaiser’s California projects

In addition to the Denver project, on March 24, Kaiser opened its 21,531 square foot Oceanside Medical Office at 1302 Rocky Point Drive in Oceanside, Calif., south of Los Angeles. The multi-specialty facility houses 12 provider offices including pediatric and primary care, as well as a pharmacy, lab and radiology.

Kaiser says the Oceanside Medical Office is part of its plan to provide more access to care throughout the area, and incorporates a number of “green” features that include low-flow plumbing fixtures, LED interior lighting, extensive use of natural light and ventilation, and a storm water system that captures and treats storm water on site before entering public storm drains.

And in Murietta, Calif., some 37 miles northeast of Oceanside, Kaiser is reportedly considering a site for another medical office building (MOB). The city recently issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to study a potential project site within the Murrieta Highlands area. Kaiser says that the timing for an MOB and any future phased development in Murrietta will be based on regional demand.