The Scope of the LLU Campus Transformation Project 2015 ~ 2020

The Scope of the LLU Campus Transformation Project

(Legend: SOVP 1-11 = Scope of the Vision 2020 Project as Highlighted in the Photos and/or Blogs) 

This aerial view (from the LLU historical archives) of the southwestern quadrant of the Loma Linda University campus provides an excellent perspective of the amount of preparatory work  required before the actual construction of the new hospitals take place. Since 2013, to the present, a well-orchestrated construction dance has been underway:  surveyors, engineers,  construction crews with their hard hats and bright orange vests along with the invasion of earth movers, cranes, and other heavy equipment have blended in with the white coats and scrubs. One of the foremen remarked, “I hate to say it, but this will be the norm for the next several years.” Before the “real” work on the new hospitals could begin numbers 1 – 9 had to be completed with the exception of  number four (4), which is under construction and is slated to be completed in the summer of July 2016. Inasmuch as parking has always been at a premium for employees, patients, and visitors, the parking issues, numbers one (1) and three (3) specifically, had to be dealt with immediately . The patient parking was most critical since the new hospitals would eliminate that space east of the existing Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. In addition, more employee parking was needed. Number one (1) was the first parking lot to go up, which is known as P2. This parking lot structure, which has 6 levels provides space for the faculty of the schools of nursing, dentistry, and medicine. After the completion of this parking structure, a prefab pedestrian bridge, see number two (2), was constructed over Campus Street to reduce the foot traffic on the ground. Once numbers one (1) and two (2) were completed work began on the highrise (six stories) patient parking structure, known as P3, located on the southeast corner of Barton Road and Campus Street. As P3 was nearing completion work was started on the Faculty Medical Offices, six-story parking structure, known as P4. This parking structure will provide more patient parking on the south side of Barton Road. Eventually, a pedestrian bridge, number four-a (4-a), will span Barton Road, which will allow for easier and safer access for patients and visitors from and to the Faculty Medical Offices (FMO). In 2015, a demolition crew began the preparatory work to demolish the former Mary M apartments (converted into office space by the university), which fronted Prospect Street, number five (5), at the corner of Anderson Street. Once the preparatory work was completed, the heavy equipment moved in to raze the buildings. The demolition of the Mary M apartments allowed for work to commence on Prospect Street, number six (6), which would become the new ingress and egress for the new hospital complex. The work included the replacing and rerouting water lines and the widening of Prospect Street (a long block) from Anderson Street east to Taylor Court to the west. Because of the increased traffic that would be routed onto Prospect Steet at Anderson Street, the four-way stop signs were replaced by stop lights, number six-a (6-a). As the work on Prospect Street progressed construction crews began work on the new entrance and round-a-about just west of the Schuman Pavilion, number eight (8). Also, preparatory work on the Power Plant, number seven (7), began. The work, when completed, will increase its capacity to service the new hospitals. With the parking lots P2 and P3 (numbers one (1 and three (3)) completed, the parking lot musical chairs could begin. The large patient and visitor parking lots  east of the Children’s Hospital and Medical Center were closed and the patients and visitors were routed to parking structure P3 on Campus Street (number three (3)). With the patient and visitor parking lots cleared, the perimeter of the project could be fenced off and the preliminary work could begin, number nine (9), including but not limited to the removal of trees, asphalt parking lots excavated, pipes and electrical lines removed and the rerouting of high-voltage underground electrical conduit for high voltage electrical lines (number eleven (11) was completed. With numbers one (1) through nine (9) completed, with the exception of the ongoing work on number four (4), grading could begin on the site, number ten (10), to ready the site for the ground-breaking ceremony scheduled for Sunday, May 29, 2016.