In an effort to bring hospital rooms up to current statewide standards, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital officials are proposing a series of projects that include constructing a second inpatient tower, a diagnostics and testing facility and additional parking spaces.
Santa Clarita planning commissioners are set to receive Tuesday an introductory presentation and open a public hearing on these proposals that fall under the overall campus expansion project, according to a city agenda report.
Changes requested include building another inpatient tower measuring 80 feet high and 115,700 square feet in floor area; a new diagnostics and treatment facility that would measure 84,300 square feet in floor area and 60 feet high, as well as adding three stories to a parking structure to add nearly 300 more parking spaces, according to proposed project details.
In building the two new facilities, the current main hospital building would serve for office, administrative and other support uses. The hospital’s main entry is proposed for relocation at the front of the diagnostics and testing building, which would offer outpatient services and support only and would not include the operation of any beds. The patient tower, which hospital officials envision adjacent to the diagnostics building, would include 92 inpatient beds from the existing main hospital and offer support services, public spaces and other facilities.
The proposed changes would bring the hospital rooms within the existing main hospital building up to current and future Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) codes and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. They are not related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Henry Mayo spokesman Patrick Moody.
“It’s part of a process that began three years ago,” he said Monday. “The buildings are intended to give us maximum flexibility when planning for future ancillary services expansion. Entitlements and all state approvals take significant time. It’s prudent to be ready with approvals to do space and construction planning.”
Changes to the campus would redistribute rather than change the maximum number of beds at Henry Mayo, which is 368, of which 92 are within the existing main hospital building, according to its 2008 master plan and development agreement with the city.
The proposals come after the hospital broke ground on its first patient tower project in October 2016, a $151-million project that added hundreds of new patient beds, new medical/surgical units and a rooftop helipad, among other features.
The Planning Commission meeting is scheduled to commence at 6 p.m. A second meeting for the project, which is expected to include a review of the draft environmental impact report, is scheduled for Jan. 19. A third meeting would then take place before the project could head before the Santa Clarita City Council, according to city officials.
