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Eight years ago the Fairview organization sunk $32 million into its new medical center and hospital facility in Wyoming and this spring a $29 million addition is coming to the site. “This is a significant addition to this campus,” explained Fairview President Dan Anderson.

With the Wyoming City Council approval last week revising the original developer’s agreement the Fairview Medical Center expansion is now on course for a spring groundbreaking.

Anderson said the expansion will happen in two phases. Space is being built-on so certain departments can relocate. Then the vacated spaces will be retro-fitted for other uses. Phase I will take about 14 months and Phase II will add six more for a total project timeframe of 20 months.

Under the amended developer agreement with the city Fairview ‘s Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) to the city is increased by 39 percent, calculated on the expansion size. Fairview’s Water and Sewer Access Charge units (WAC and SAC) were estimated at approximately $140,700. This was reviewed by the city engineering firm and Fairview figuring the increased demand on city infrastructure. Although it’s not an element of the expansion design-- Fairview now has authorization to go to three stories for structures under the revised agreement. Previously the fire department had limited capability to fight any fire beyond two-stories.

Fairview has seen triple-digit increases in demand for just about every medical care service provided at Wyoming, said Anderson.

The expansion will offer a Level II nursery for infants needing specialized care, and there will also be dedicated observation space for patients whose status requires monitoring but perhaps not admittance into the hospital.

The ICU is leaving the second floor and going into new space on the ground, adjacent to the emergency department. MRI service (now a “mobile” unit basically parked at the medical center seven days a week), and other imaging operations such as ultrasound are getting enhanced, permanent space as well.

There are also support operations that are cramped for space. The kitchen and loading dock will be expanded. Medical Records will be relocated.

Fairview is increasing the number of pre and post-operative rooms to improve functions of the entire surgery unit. Anderson said the space for pre and post-op needs wasn’t functioning optimally. Once the expansion is done there’ll be six surgery suites and shell space for two more, to position Fairview for the next several years.

Fairview patrons should be aware the Emergency Room access is being relocated while construction work proceeds.

Access to MRI will be from a new location to orient those patients to use an entrance other than the front foyer. These areas will be well-marked to guide people during the many months of construction.

Hammel, Green & Abrahamson are serving as architects and Kraus-Anderson is general contractor.

Anderson said there won’t be much perceivable impact on job creation but that over time, as the capacity at the medical complex fills, employment opportunities will grow.

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