OU Health Patient Tower

[Pete]

This had been long-rumored and now seems to be formally going forward.

The best thing is it will go a long way towards covering up the old Presbyterian Hospital building, which gets my vote for one of the ugliest in the city.

8 stories, 144 beds, 32 operating rooms

http://newsok.com/article/5552296?slideout=1

[Laramie]

Beautiful structure that will eventually hide some of that ugly structure. As you travel 13th Street--should be a beautiful sight to see. There are some recently built quality structures nestled within the OUHSC complex.

In 2007, I was hauled into that ugly structure that was so beautiful inside because it saved my life. Suffered a stroke, spent 7 days in the Presbyterian facility--left with a walker. Determined not to use that walker, changed my diet (eating habits) & sleeping habits; with the help of medications now able to walk like before.

Just a warning, (sorry Pete, no attempt to hijack your tread) get regular check ups & screenings. As we age, our bodies will give us warning signs that we shouldn't ignore.

[kevin lee]

Another project with a 2019 completion date. Historically this could be a turning point for the city.

[KingOfTheNorth]

What's the purpose of this building? For instance Presby has the ER which is a huge cash cow for the campus and they have discussed remodeling and upgrading it but obviously it's hard to close down the ED for any period of time, especially since it's the only level 1 Trauma Center in the state. If this building has the capacity of being the ED for a period of time they could eventually get to remodeling their dated buildings.

Will this building have underground parking or will they be adding more? That surface lot gets pretty heavy use throughout the week...

[BB37]

The purpose of the new bed tower is just what he name implies -- additional beds. Bed space at Presbyterian is always tight, and the patient rooms are small by current standards. In addition, the new building will house two floors of operating rooms, 32 total, which will alleviate another chronic issue.

There are plans to add additional floors to the existing parking structure, but no plans for underground parking. I'm unaware of any plans to move the Trauma Center/ED to the new building.

[mugofbeer]

Beautiful structure that will eventually hide some of that ugly structure. As you travel 13th Street--should be a beautiful sight to see. There are some recently built quality structures nestled within the OUHSC complex.

In 2007, I was hauled into that ugly structure that was so beautiful inside because it saved my life. Suffered a stroke, spent 7 days in the Presbyterian facility--left with a walker. Determined not to use that walker, changed my diet (eating habits) & sleeping habits; with the help of medications now able to walk like before.

Just a warning, (sorry Pete, no attempt to hijack your tread) get regular check ups & screenings. As we age, our bodies will give us warning signs that we shouldn't ignore.

I don't want you to think your words were ignored. I know a couple of people who were horribly injured in car wrecks they did fantastic work on. That whole zone is an under-known and under appreciated place.

[bombermwc]

I'm sort of surprised this is going on still. The original plan was scrapped when the management change to the SSM fell through. Looks like they let the contract with HCA expire and are not creating a new one with anyone right now (or at least that was the stance in April). So this has to be driven directly by OU Med Center execs. Which, i would consider a very GOOD thing as it's not just driven by upping the capital worth of the campus.

[_Kyle]

I have a family member that works at OU, and she says they want to get construction started on this building by the fall. They are apparently having problems with space in their current towers.

[brianinok]

I'm surprised the entire new building does not connect to the existing (Presby) building. It would seem to me that having a central elevator bank and lobby in the new building that would serve both buildings would make BOTH buildings much more efficient. They could position the elevator bank just outside the existing building. The existing building has such a lack of coherent elevator lobbies. As memory serves me, one on each end, and two in the middle. Something like that, and they are more or less in the hallway. You end up waiting forever for them. Maybe the ceiling height of the old building is just too short for them to even consider doing this on the new building?

[HangryHippo]

They can't, but they really need to tear down Presby and the PPOB.

[_Kyle]

Apparently this new tower is long overdue. They want to get this tower started by fall and have it done by fall of next year.

[bombermwc]

They can't, but they really need to tear down Presby and the PPOB.

This type of thing is quite expensive, but once this portion is done, they would have the option to start working their way through the rest of the old structure. However, with the way dollars work in hospitals, you'd have to show them some reason, financially, why they should do it and not just leave it with this.

[jonny d]

They can't, but they really need to tear down Presby and the PPOB.

Why do they need to?

[bombermwc]

Well this was the first hospital in the metro to have private rooms....and boy are they small. It's difficult for a family member to stay with a patient and aid in their care because of the size of the room. The rooms are usually incredibly hot in the summer, regardless of which floor you are on. As said above, the elevator structure is such that there aren't really sufficient banks so there's a very long wait no matter which one you go to. Yeah, each patient floor may have 6 elevators on it, but the places they are put just dont make sense....and they look like they haven't been touched with more than new carpet in about 30 years. The old tower is simply showing age. The VERY SMALL updates they have done in the place are really just enough to not make it look gross. It's functional, yes. But it's lacking in a lot of the things you see in a new room. The placement of the nurses station is not helpful either.

Take somewhere like MWC. Regardless of the reputation, one thin you can do is compare the rooms themselves. The Mullinex tower was built in the 80's/90's and is your pretty standard room...there are duals and singles, but they have good size. Look at the newest floors and they blow the others away. Technology is better integrated, the floor and rooms are downright nice. The flow of the floor is better as well as the waiting rooms. Just in general, the newer concept works better. Most notably, the placement of the nurses station.

[BB37]

The formal groundbreaking for the new tower was held this morning. There are now some additional renderings of the new tower available, which I will post here:

[Pete]

Very cool.

Thank you!

[schoonerphil]

There is now a live camera:

https://www.oumedicine.com/ou-medica.../watch-us-grow

[KingOfTheNorth]

I personally really like the design, but the issue is how dated the rest of the buildings will look now with this fancy addition. I'd love to get a look at the master plan for the entire OUHSC area.

Compared to other health systems in the area I imagine OU is under a large amount of pressure to update its buildings.

[Pete]

That hospital to the direct south is arguably the ugliest building in all of OKC. I wish they would at least paint it.

[BB37]

That hospital to the direct south is arguably the ugliest building in all of OKC. I wish they would at least paint it.

It might get painted, but I wouldn't expect it to be much different in color. If you look around, most of the buildings on the HSC campus are that beige/buff color.

[Ross MacLochness]

That hospital to the direct south is arguably the ugliest building in all of OKC. I wish they would at least paint it.

awww cmooon.. It's not thaaat bad... There are plenty that are worse!

[traxx]

It might get painted, but I wouldn't expect it to be much different in color. If you look around, most of the buildings on the HSC campus are that beige/buff color.

I don't think anyone's asking for it to be painted purple or anything so garish. But a nice, clean white color would help.

[HangryHippo]

That hospital to the direct south is arguably the ugliest building in all of OKC. I wish they would at least paint it.

It's hideous. And the inside isn't much better. They really need to doze it, but I don't think they can't lose the capacity.

[hoya]

I actually like the old building. Not everything is going to be an architectural gem. It looks like exactly what it is -- a 1970s/1980s hospital. Every city has them.

30 years from now, people are going to look back and say "those buildings were really cool, why did everyone tear them down?"

[HangryHippo]

30 years from now, people are going to look back and say "those buildings were really cool, why did everyone tear them down?"

Not as long as it needs to function as a hospital. It’s terrible.