This site will be down at times over this coming weekend, July 10 -11.

To get a closer look at the construction in progress, you can visit Eden Medical Center at 20103 Lake Chabot Road in Castro Valley, to participate in the annual Run to the Lake & Health Expo!

Here’s to the men and women making our dream of a new hospital a reality…

The upgrade of our Website is now complete, and we are back with more news and information with a renewed vigor. These past two months have seen a bit of a slowdown on our posts and social media program due to summer vacations and transitions here, but we are up and running again — and even more dedicated to making this site informative and useful to our staff, patients, neighbors, community and ever-growing network of friends.  If you haven’t yet taken the time to subscribe to our site, I encourage you to do so now. You will receive a notice only when new updates are provided, and we won’t inundate you with e-mails nor solicitations.

The Eden Campus has been alive with activity since we broke ground on July 1. Because of the tremendous progress, we have launched our “Photos of the Week” to complement the WebCam and give you a bit more detail on what the crews are working on.

Below are a few highlights:

Foundation Piers
The crews are continuing to drill and pour the foundation piers, the first phase of the new hospital’s foundation. What does it take for a hospital of this size? Crews will pour 570 piers altogether, some reaching 60 feet underground. They are moving at a rapid pace now, drilling and pouring 10 to 12 piers each work day. Once these are complete — although some work is done concurrently to prep the site — crews will begin work on the underground utilities such as electricity, sewer lines, storm drains and plumbing. They are also beginning installation of the grade beam rebar, and the photo below shows the site excavation and prep work for the rebar.

Temporary Pedestrian Bridge
While work is being done on the site, the current pedestrain bridge will need to shut down. To provide uninterrupted access from the parking garage to the hospital, the crews must build a temporary pedestrain bridge. One the land was excavated, crews placed the braces/beams and began the sheathing of the bridge.

Storm Drain and Fire Road
A new wall is almost complete on the north end of the site, and crews began work on the storm drain. A fire road is also under construction, and this past week the crews continued installation of the fire road retaining wall.

These are just a few highlights of the vast amount of work underway on site. We’ll have DPR Construction, the general contractor, provide more detail on the many phases of the construction.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you.

Employees enjoy the Groundbreaking Ceremony

By George Bischalaney, President & CEO, Eden Medical Center

It’s finally begun! Twelve years of planning, ten years of actively working, and finally, ground was broken on Wednesday July 1, 2009, for the new hospital on the Eden Medical Center campus. It has been an extraordinary effort by so many to get us here. Persistence, patience and untiring efforts have paid off.

The first phase of work involves relocation of the helipad, a necessary step to clear the way for development of the hospital and medical office building. It will be challenging throughout and very difficult at times.

The immediate impact is loss of on-campus parking. Not a lot, but unfortunately in a place where it is needed. This work is occurring adjacent to the Emergency and Trauma Services entry points. Ambulance bays remain accessible and the existing helicopter landing site remains functional throughout this phase. Parking for patients and visitors is affected and will be relocated a couple of times as work progresses.

Already there is activity in other areas of the broader construction zone. An apartment building facing Stanton Avenue was reduced to rubble in a matter of two days. The neighborhood is experiencing the onset of three years of traffic associated with the project, as debris is removed and equipment and supplies arrive.

Work was temporarily interrupted and the worksite cleaned up for a brief but well received ceremonial groundbreaking event on July 1. Employees, physicians, the project team and Eden Medical Center as well as Sutter Health leadership officially christened the site with the photo-op tossing of dirt. It was an exciting moment for those who have waited to so long for this day.

As the work progresses, our official site for tracking the work will keep those who check in up to date. And coming July 20, there will even be a webcam for viewing the work as it proceeds.

Let us know if you have any questions or comments.

By Cassandra Clark, Project Communications Director

After much debate and public input, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to certify the EIR (Environmental Impact Report) and approve the zoning and land use entitlements for the new hospital to replace 54-year-old Eden Medical Center.

Passage of the EIR and land use entitlement approvals is a major milestone for the Sutter Medical Center Castro Valley project—and the communities that will be served by this new, state-of-the-art hospital and adjoining medical office building.

About 20 speakers addressed the Board of Supervisors about the new hospital as well as concerns about future plans for San Leandro Hospital. Eden President & CEO George Bischalaney expressed to the Board members the overwhelming support for the new hospital, even among those who encouraged rejection of the EIR to “save San Leandro Hospital.” Bischalaney and others urged Board members not to delay approvals in order to meet “a very tight project timeline” and advised the Board not to tie the new hospital project to the uncertainty around San Leandro Hospital’s future.

In the end, the Board of Supervisors maintained that its obligation was to make a decision on the land use entitlement proposal before them. However, Board members promised to continue to work with Sutter and the District to come up with an optimal plan for San Leandro Hospital, and to meet the health care needs of the communities.

We are grateful to the many people of Eden Medical Center, San Leandro Hospital and our communities for participating in this process. We had tremendous support at both Board of Supervisors meetings, through the petitions, and all the phone calls and letters of encouragement.

What Happens Now?

The Board’s approval clears the way for SMCCV to use the designated property to build the new hospital, which will be on the northwest side of the Eden Medical Center campus, adjacent to the existing hospital.

In the coming weeks, we will file the appropriate permits to begin work on the land, including the demolition of the vacant apartment building and other site improvements, and the foundation work for the actual construction of the new hospital. Oversight and approval for the further construction is handled by the
California Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development.

The immediate work around the campus will get the land ready for construction and help minimize delays so we can proceed with building the new hospital as soon as possible in order to meet the deadline for State-mandated earthquake safety requirements.

We look forward to moving ahead with the project. As always, your questions and comments are welcome on this blog and on our social networks!

George Bischalaney, President and CEO, Eden Medical Center

By George Bischalaney, President & CEO, Eden Medical Center

On May 12, 2009, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors deferred action on the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and related actions needed to begin the redevelopment of the Eden Medical Center campus.

The delays were for the most part caused by the late submission of information from a group opposing the approval.  Their opposition stems from a misguided effort to link the future of the San Leandro Hospital to the future of the new Eden campus hospital.  Opponents contend there is a nexus in the decision making as well as an unaddressed impact to the new Eden hospital.

Our initial assessment is twofold.  First, the future of each hospital is distinct from the other.  The Board of Supervisors’ actions regarding the Eden redevelopment will not affect the decision process to determine how the San Leandro campus will be used in the future.  Secondly, there was very little or nothing new in the comments that actually addressed the EIR itself.  Hopefully, the Board will draw the same conclusion and move forward with the needed approvals on June 9th.

Eden Medical Center has been the designated trauma center for Southern Alameda County for more than 20 years.  It has served thousands of patients over that time, including victims of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that shut down the Bay Bridge and collapsed the Nimitz Freeway in Oakland.  It is absolutely critical that Eden is replaced as soon as possible.  Earthquakes, like all natural disasters, are unpredictable. People will rightfully ask why we weren’t prepared if avoidable delays in preparing for the inevitable are not overcome.  We have a need to rise above politics and special interests to meet a greater obligation of the health and well being of the community of being served.  People of good will and with good intentions can do so.  Let’s hope we see this kind of sentiment on June 9th.

You can take action and sign a petition to the Board of Supervisors and urge them to stop delays and vote yes on the EIR.  Please take a moment to sign the petition at the link below.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/rebuild-eden-medical-center

Thank you for your continued support of the new hospital.