Campus Renovation

In March 2007, Methodist President and CEO Michael Bryant shared the organization’s vision and goals for a new replacement building and renovation program with members of Peoria’s Downtown Rotary. Total cost of the two-phase project is estimated to be $350 million.

Bryant told Rotarians the planned development is designed to make it easier for patients and visitors to find their way in the hospital, promote greater efficiencies, provide the safest environment for patients, visitors and staff, and facilitate innovations in technology including making the campus all digital, all the time.

The centerpiece of Phase I of the project will be a new diagnostic and treatment facility that will house acute care services including cardiovascular, surgical, and intensive care units with 100% private rooms. The new building will also consolidate diagnostic and imaging services currently in multiple locations on the Methodist main campus. A new easy-access Emergency Department/Trauma Center and a dedicated Heart Tower will also be part of the new structure. The Heart Tower will be an integrated Center of Excellence with all heart care services in one central location.

Groundbreaking for the new facility will take place in March 2010, with completion in 2012. Also scheduled to open in 2012 is the new Methodist dining and conference pavilion, featuring space for meetings, community and professional education, and the latest teleconferencing capabilities. Both buildings will be architecturally distinct, with stone, granite, marble, and an abundance of glass, blending traditional and visionary design reflective of the spirit of new urbanism. The use of green space and pedestrian-friendly areas creates a welcoming, walkable environment that also includes space for retail development.

Bryant added that all replacement structures at Methodist will be designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification – the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance "green" buildings. Principles include the use of natural light and green space; environmentally responsible, health-protecting building materials; reduction in water usage; insulation, sensor-controlled lighting, and other energy-saving systems; and other building principles that enhance human health and environmental responsibility.

"We are proud of our role in the Greater Peoria Area’s Renaissance," explained Bryant. "That includes our continued collaboration with the College of Medicine, OSF St. Francis, and our outstanding physician community in establishing Peoria as a regional medical destination, and collaborating with Bradley, NCAUR, entrepreneurs and researchers in building this area’s 21^st century knowledge economy. That role is enhanced by our commitment to remaining a vibrant part of Downtown as well as good neighbors to the adjacent residential areas."

The replacement structures are needed, added Bryant, to overcome a number of challenges created by the current facility. These include structural limitations in the form of low ceilings and permanent support columns that make it difficult to expand operating theaters and imaging suites, upgrade lighting, and fully implement digital technology. The aging buildings also create barriers to operational and energy efficiency. "You can’t deliver 21^st century healthcare in early 20^th century buildings," said Bryant.

The first phase of the project is already underway with the transfer of staff from their current location in Helen House to other areas of the hospital, and the planned demolition of Helen House within the next year. A new hospital entrance will be constructed at that location, facing Hamilton Boulevard. The current Deck I will be removed in 2008. Once the two new buildings are complete, three existing structures of the hospital complex will be removed, including the East Wing built in 1918, the West Wing constructed in 1926, and the Glen Oak Wing, built in 1952. Total cost for Phase I is estimated at $175 million.

Bryant adds, "The Methodist of tomorrow is being built with wellness in mind. That means an emphasis on outpatient, in-home, and other non-hospital based services, which frees us to reduce the overall size of our structures. With fewer buildings, energy-saving design, and other operational efficiencies, we anticipate a reduction in our annual operating costs of five to ten percent. As a result, at the end of Phase I we will provide more compassionate care, with more amenities for patients and families and more advanced technology, in a greener setting and a safer, healthier environment, than we can today. We are going beyond providing services – we are adding value for patients, families, employers, and the community as a whole."