The new lobby will transform the hospital from an enclosed brick structure with an obscure entrance into a light-filled, welcoming space with a prominent entrance on Lyons Avenue.
The new emergency department will have nine new treatment areas for adults, three for kids and one that will serve as a fast-track treatment area — all the beneficiary of approximately 4,000 more square feet of space.
The new intensive care units will be right-sized to accommodate all patient needs, including additional space for clinical equipment and more room for loved ones.
These are just some of the reasons why officials from Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, RWJBarnabas Health and the city of Newark were so excited at the groundbreaking for the $100 million renovation of Newark Beth.
Barry Ostrowsky, the CEO of RWJBH, said the upgrade will simply make a great place even better.
“This is an institution that is not only internationally renowned, but is, in fact, committed to ensuring the best health for the community surrounding it,” he said. “This new edifice we are building is Phase 1 of a complete redevelopment plan for both the institution and the neighborhood.
“It is exciting for everyone.”
The ability of Newark Beth to serve its community only will grow. Consider its cardiac care center.
Newark Beth Israel already is home to one of the nation’s Top 10 heart transplant centers, the state’s only advanced lung disease and transplant program — and a valve center that performs complex cardiac valve procedures, including replacements.
Officials said the renovation project will place all of these services under one roof in a center that is easily accessible to patients and will include new patient consult rooms, exam rooms, cardiac catheterization suites with the latest advanced medical imaging devices, and a hybrid operating room.
A similar upgrade already has been made to Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey Mother-Baby Unit. The maternity unit is a 34-bed private-room unit with all-new, spacious suites.
A key component of the project will be the hospital’s new main lobby, an estimated 17,000-square-foot, glass-enclosed space with modern seating areas, an expanded registration area and community meeting spaces.
The new lobby will be a more welcoming space filled with transparency and natural light that promises to invoke a sense of wellness and renewal for the hospital’s patients, families and the community.
The public, in fact, will be able to see the progress the hospital is making.
And that’s just fine with CEO Darrell Terry. Earlier in the week, he told ROI-NJ how excited he is about the new place. That enthusiasm carried over to the groundbreaking.
“I am excited about what this project will mean for our community, our employees and our physicians,” he said. “This will be an inclusive project in the great South Ward, and we are hopeful that this investment will be the spark that encourages more businesses to invest in this community.”
