Building for the Future

February 2012

HSS Campus Update: Recent Additions

HSS continually strives to provide unsurpassed care in our specialty areas. The ongoing modernization and expansion of the Hospital’s campus allows us to sustain excellence in musculoskeletal care while meeting the growing demand for our services. 

In the main Hospital building:

• Two new patient care units with centrally-located nursing stations were recently opened (pictured below).
• The HSS pharmacy was expanded and relocated to the new 9th floor.
• The CA Technologies Rehabilitation Center opened – the first stage of the Lerner Children’s Pavilion, which will be completed in 2012 to accommodate the growing number of children coming to us for pediatric care.

New patient are unit with centrally-located nursing station.

On East 72nd Street:

• HSS expanded its Ambulatory Care Clinics and relocated them to East 72nd Street and York Avenue. The new clinics offer more convenient street access for patients with limited mobility, as well as additional exam rooms, on-site social services, clinical and support staff, and 1,250 square feet of space dedicated exclusively to diagnostic services.

On East 75th Street:

• HSS opened an easily accessible outpatient center, housing the Physiatry and Pain Management Departments, on East 75th Street between 1st and York Avenues. Devoted to the non-operative management of musculoskeletal conditions, this 30,000-squarefoot facility includes space for clinical care, diagnostic services, procedure rooms, research, education, and physician office.

May 2011

Expansion and Renovation: A New Pediatric Rehabilitation Center

As part of our continuing commitment to patient care and an increasing demand for our services, two years ago HSS embarked on a major expansion and renovation project to add a three-floor 62,000 square foot addition to the east wing of its main hospital building.

The project, which started in November 2009, will be completed and occupied in August/September of this year at an approximate cost of $69 million.

The tricky challenge - building over the FDR Drive along the East River, on an extremely tight narrow site and with a hospital that continues to be fully operational below the construction - makes for a level of difficulty above and beyond most projects.

The new floors, 9 through 11, will accommodate two additional inpatient bed units, as well as new and expanded space for the Pharmacy Department. There will also be a 12th floor equipment room.

A highlight, which is scheduled to open in September, will be the “CA Technologies Rehabilitation Center,” an expanded outpatient pediatric rehabilitation complex that will occupy over 7,000 square feet - more than double the space of the current facility.

The Rehabilitation Center will include a physical therapy gym for children and adolescents; dedicated therapy rooms for developing babies’ and children’s fine motor skills; a suite of rooms for speech therapy; an occupational therapy gym with a dedicated room for sensory integration therapy that facilitates movement in space, such as climbing and swinging; an equipment clinic that specializes in wheelchair and mobility needs; a special cardiovascular fitness equipment to help children with impaired mobility develop endurance; and recreational toys and virtual reality software for physically challenged children to improve balancing skills.

Special Surgery is one of the only hospitals in the country that offers a full range of pediatric orthopedic rehabilitation services for children with complex orthopedic conditions. The facility will enable HSS to continue to meet the special needs of the more than 17,000 pediatric rehabilitation patient visits each year.

The CA Technologies Rehabilitation Center will be part of the planned Children’s Pavilion at Hospital for Special Surgery, which is scheduled to open in 2012.

January 2011

During the month of January, curtain metal siding on the penthouse, sprinklers, and plumbing near competition; sheetrock, millwork, and interior painting continued.

December 2010

Walls, Framing, Roofing, Electrical, Painting

During the month of December, curtain wall installation, interior framing, and roofing were near completion. Electrical work continued, and interior painting commenced.

September 2010

Driveway Renovations

The Driveway and main Hospital entrance will be closed at various intervals for driveway renovations and improvements.   

July 2010

Sheetrock, HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical

During the month of July, sheetrock installation commenced; plumbing and HVAC work continued; and electrical work was 50 percent completed.

June 2010

Driveway Renovations

The Driveway and main Hospital entrance will be closed from 9pm Friday, to 4am Monday each weekend over the summner for driveway renovations and improvements.

The driveway will be closed every weekend for the next 3 1/2 months. (June 11 through September 30). On the weekdays, the construction will be done in phases and the driveway will remain open.

May 2010

HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical

During the month of May, HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning) work commenced; interior framing, plumbing and electrical work continued; and roof construction was near completion.

March 2010

Renovating the HSS Driveway and Entrance

In April, the HSS driveway will undergo a major facelift and renovation. This project will provide improved lighting; upgraded materials on the driveway and sidewalks; and new signage.

The project is scheduled to be completed at the end of September. The outside entrance will have the look and feel of our newly expanded and renovated main lobby. This project will be done in phases and will require periodic closing of the driveway on weekends and overnight.

A more detailed schedule will be published over the next few weeks.

February 2010

Core Drilling, Elevators and Stairs

During the month of February:

• Delivered and loaded hollow metal door frames on floors
• Continued core drilling for fuel oil and electrical risers in existing hospital building
• Completed exterior scaffolding and elevator shaft
• Framed and closed-in south stair tower and north stair tower/elevator shaft areas
• Rigged and set generator in penthouse.

The project continues on schedule and on budget.

January 2010

New Additions

During the month of January:

• The materiel and personnel hoist was installed on 70th Street
• Miscellaneous structural steel items were completed
• High roof drains and storm water piping were positioned
• Spray-on fireproofing was completed on the 9th floor.

The project continues on schedule and on budget.

December 2009

Erecting Steel

During the month of December, structural steel erection continued. The rooftop crane was removed and a street-crane on 70th Street was assembled for the balance of the steel erection. The pouring of concrete took place to complete the 11th and 12th floor slabs.  The project continues on schedule and on budget.

November 2009

"Topping Out" and Pouring of Concrete

HSS held a "topping-out" event Thursday, Oct. 15, for the expansion project to celebrate adding three new floors atop the main hospital building. Hospital executives, trustees, physicians, staff, and representatives from neighboring institutions attended the ceremony.

Also, to commemorate the project, attendees signed a construction beam before its permanent placement.

From left, Louis Shapiro, Connie Margolin, Stacey Malakoff, Barrie Damson, Charlton Reynders, Marylin Levitt, Kendrik Wilson II, Dean O'Hare, and Aldo Papone sign the beam

During the month of November, with structural steel being completed, the pouring of concrete began. If you look up, you should still be able to see the white ceremonial beam in place that was signed during the topping-out event. The project continues on schedule and on budget.

October 2009

HSS Responds to Increase in Demand for Services – Building Begins!

Patients are seeking Special Surgery’s services in record numbers, with a rise of more than 60% in the past decade. So far in 2009 there has been an increase of almost 10% inpatient admissions when compared to the same time period last year. To meet this demand and continue to provide world-class care, Special Surgery embarked on a plan to create more operating rooms; more patient rooms; and better access to ancillary services.

Thanks to the generosity of our dedicated Board, medical staff, grateful patients and friends, Building on Success: The Campaign for the Future of HSS has enabled us to embark on the next critical phase in the expansion of our facilities. This summer, the building expansion kicked off with three new floors over the East Wing. The goal is to expand without interruption to patient care. 

"This is an exciting time for Hospital for Special Surgery with changes in many different areas to better accommodate patients and their families," said Louis A. Shapiro, President and CEO. "The construction project is vital to our ability to continue to provide the first rate patient care for which HSS is so well known," he continued. 

A new ninth floor will serve as the home for HSS's renowned pediatric rehabilitation department. Features will include a large physical therapy gymnasium that will overlook the East River and facilities for occupational, fine motor skills, sensory integration, and speech therapies. Another feature of the ninth floor will be a relocated and enlarged Hospital pharmacy.  

Plans for the Hospital's new tenth and eleventh floors include the addition of an inpatient unit, which will include private rooms as well as rooms designed to accommodate two patients. These units will provide patients with the best possible environment by locating the patient rooms around a central staff/support core and providing each room with river-oriented views. 

Approximately 80% of Americans aged 65 and older suffer from a chronic condition, such as arthritis, that imposes limitations on their day-to-day lives. This segment of the population is rapidly growing, and will represent nearly 20% of the total U.S. population by 2030.

"The additional space will allow HSS to stay ahead of the curve and will ensure that the patient experience is an even better one," said Lisa Goldstein, Chief Operating Officer.

Other Improvements

Additional important renovations to enhance the patient experience are continuing throughout the Hospital to complement the major construction.

• The Pain Management Center has been relocated to the seventh floor of the Belaire building in a newly-designed space that maximizes efficiency and provides a peaceful environment for our patients. The Center is now in the same location as the offices of our six pain management physicians, making it easier to access for more than 6,000 pain management patients each year who seek our help.
  
• Renovations to the third floor have occurred in stages to limit any interruptions to patient care. A major improvement to (continued on page 8) this area is the expansion of pre-surgical screening. The great majority of patients are cleared for surgery in this area. The new pre-surgical screening area is 4,200 square feet, nearly twice the previous size. With nine exam rooms and five admitting bays, it will be able to accommodate up to 150 patients per day, offer greater patient privacy, improve efficiency and reduce waiting time.
  
• The Hospital lobby and main entrance have been redesigned and expanded and offer some new features (see PULSE, page 5). When patients and visitors arrive at the Hospital they enter a bright new lobby with an expansive wall made of glass, providing the space with a feeling of openness. Expanded seating areas are accented by light colored woods and ceiling panels. The area also contains a new reception desk, coffee kiosk, and patient transport area as well as a prominently featured donor wall.
  
• A Children's Pavilion, HSS's new musculoskeletal pediatric "hospital within a hospital," will span the East and West Wings of the fifth floor and include the Pediatric Rehabilitation Center on the ninth floor. The 34,000 square feet of renovated and newly-constructed space will address the specialized needs of families with small children and adolescents alike, in a warm, cheerful environment designed specially for young patients.
  
• A Center for Hip Preservation was established this year with the goal of treating young, active adults suffering from hip pain. The Center includes surgeons and non-operating physicians all focused on preserving the hip joint over the long term.
  
• The Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service is also undergoing a renovation which will create a more sports-centered environment for doctor visits and therapy appointments, as well as for those who visit the Sports Performance Center. The addition of an eighth MRI in the Hospital is scheduled for later this year. "All of these improvements allow us to meet the Hospital's mission – to provide the highest quality patient care, improve mobility, and enhance the quality of life for all," said Thomas P. Sculco, MD, Surgeon-in-Chief.

Read the news archives about our expansion on our Building for the Future: News Archives page.