Orlando, FL (January 7, 2010) – Orlando Health today took the art of parking to new heights when it unveiled its latest addition to the downtown campus; a new $27.5 million parking garage. The garage, located at Orange Avenue and Columbia Street, is adorned with a total of 16 palm tree murals ranging in height from 32’ to 61’ tall. The palm trees replicate original artwork created by nationally known local artist, Maria Reyes-Jones. The unveiling of the new, scenic garage further advances Orlando Health’s recently announced plans to renovate and expand its downtown campus.
“This new garage represents more than just a place to park cars,” said John Hillenmeyer, president & CEO of Orlando Health. “It symbolizes a new chapter in Orlando Health’s beautification and redevelopment efforts, as well as those of our neighbors who live, work and play in the area south of downtown Orlando, which is often referred to as SODO. The addition of the vibrant artwork highlights our commitment to do all we can to assist and encourage further community improvements.”
“The City of Orlando is working diligently to assist residents and businesses located south of downtown Orlando in enhancing the community,” said Phil Diamond, Orlando City Commissioner for District 1, which borders on SODO. “We are pleased that Orlando Health is involved in the process and has committed to investing resources to assist in this effort.”
In December 2009, Orlando Health announced plans to expand and renovate Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC). The ORMC expansion will be one of the largest expansion efforts in the history of Orlando Health with anticipated construction ranging between $125 and $150 million. The organization is expected to select anarchitectural firm to provide architectural and engineering design services for the project by the end of this month with the design process commencing in February.
The main goal of the expansion and renovation effort is toconsolidate clinical services at ORMC and lay the foundation for futuredevelopment surrounding the hospital such as the proposed SunRail commutertrain stop. The rail stop will belocated on the west side of the campus on Sligh Boulevard at the existing Amtrakstation.
The unveiling of the new parking garage comes on the heals of several Orlando Health downtown campus enhancements including a $10 million parking garage that opened in the spring of 2008 at the corner of LucerneTerrace and Copeland Street, a new $500,000 M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic that opened in March 2009, and an addition of 10,000 square feet of renovated office space in August 2009 at a cost of $1.7 million to manage M.D.Anderson – Orlando’s growing patient volume. A new $39 million medical office building, currently under construction adjacent to the new garage, is expected to open in October 2010.
The new nine-level parking garage boasts a total parking capacity of 2,246 spaces and contains six gearless traction elevators, three stair towers, a mechanical/electrical service yard with a 500KW emergency generator and offices for Orlando Health parking services team members.
Approximately 250,000 man-hours (with no loss-time accidents) were required to build the garage, which includes 1.32 miles of storm/sewer/water piping; 1,300 lighting fixtures, and more than 52 miles of wiring pulled through conduits.
The parking deck footprint is equivalent to two football fields. Its total gross square footage is equal to 18 football fields. A sidewalk, created from the 5,700 cubic yards of cast-in-place concrete for the project, would be six feet wide, six inches thick and extend nearly 10 miles. The 16 graphic art banners constitute 15,360 square feet, or about 1/3 of an acre.
Contractors on the project were Jack Jennings & Sons, design/builder; Finfrock Design, architectural and structural engineer of record; Baker Barrios Architects, architectural facade designer, IngenuityEngineers, mechanical and electrical engineers; GAI Consultants, civil engineering; Glatting Jackson, landscape architect; Finfrock Industries, precast contractor; and Sundance Architectural Products, LLC, exterior aluminum architectural elements and art banner contractor.
About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health careorganization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in theOrlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P.Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellenceare heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.