Chester County Hospital, located in West Chester, PA commemorated the official"topping out" for the largest expansion effort in its 125-year history on Tuesday, June 5, 2018. The finished project will welcome a state-of-the-art procedural platform, a 99-bed tower for patient care, a new main entrance, rooftop helipad, and 13 additional Emergency Department rooms.
This "topping out" – a construction tradition – marked the conclusion of the steel work for the 250,000-square-foot expansion and 26,000-square-foot renovation project. The ceremony provided the opportunity for hospital leadership and leadership from LF Driscoll, the construction firm, to acknowledge the good work of the building planners and construction tradesmen on this project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2020.
Groundbreaking on the project took place just over a year ago, on May 12, 2017, with steel work beginning in late October of 2017. The procedural platform will house 15 modern operating suites, with three reserved for future growth, three Catheterization and Electrophysiology labs, as well as new Pre-Admission Testing and Non-Invasive Cardiology areas. The new patient tower will have space for 99-private patient rooms and the new main entrance will include an interior courtyard, new pharmacy, café and gift shop.The topping out was a milestone for the project. A celebratory ceremony was held and witnessed by employees, board members, physicians, special friends, volunteers, auxilians and the construction teams.
'"The community we serve relies on our mission-based approach to care, our reputation for quality, and our history of providing advanced clinical services," said Michael J. Duncan, President and CEO of Chester County Hospital.
"This expansion project, which is a testament to Chester County Hospital's partnership with Penn Medicine, highlights the hospital's and the Health System's commitments to expand lifesaving treatments and programs in the community. The venture also accommodates anticipated growth and will continue the hospital's movement towards world-class health care for all of Chester County, PA" Duncan added.
In building construction, a topping out ceremony – one of the industry’s oldest customs – is celebrated when the last beam is placed at the top of a building. It usually includes the placing of an evergreen tree and a U.S. flag upon the structure. The pinnacle of the topping out ceremony will take place when the final piece of steel –painted and signed – is hoisted into place and secured by the ironworkers. The hospital’s white beam was signed by hundreds of employees, and also included the signatures of the tradesmen and its leadership.