The Thomas Memorial Hospital Medical Pavilion is a two-phase project consisting of a new Ambulatory Care Facility, Phase 1, and a future Clinical Pavilion, Phase 2.

The Ambulatory Care Facility creates a new entry point to the hospital for outpatient services. The entry-level first floor contains an Outpatient Lobby, Registration, Preadmission Testing with a Lab Collection area, a Digital Radiographic room, and Diagnostic Cardiology. The ground floor houses the relocated and expanded hospital laboratory, which features a 72-foot-long robotic analyzer. The laboratory floor is a nonpublic area, with all samples delivered for testing via a 4″ and 6″ pneumatic tube system that serves the first floor Lab Collection area, Surgery, Emergency, and all patient floors in the main hospital. The ground floor also contains two classrooms for in-service presentations.

Project category: Addition (completed May 2004)

Chief administrator: Stephen P. Dexter, President and CEO, (304) 766-3523

Firm: Kreps and Zachwieja Architects/Consultants, Inc., (304) 346-5361

Design team: Cynthia W. Barnette, Administrative Coordinator (Thomas Memorial Hospital); Jeffry A. Kreps, Designer/Project Architect (Kreps and Zachwieja Architects/Consultants, Inc.); Chad Johnson, Project Manager (Neighborgall Construction Company); Mechanical and Electrical Consulting Engineers (ScheeserBuckleyMayfield, Inc.); Structural Consulting Engineers (Steven Schaefer Associates, Inc.)

Photography: Shane Higgins; © Richard S. Lee

Total building area (sq. ft.): 85,818

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $177

Total construction cost (excluding land): $15,188,625


The second, third, and fourth floors function primarily as medical office space, with specialties stacked to match the nursing units planned for the Phase 2 Clinical Pavilion. Architecturally, the Phase 2 addition will match the Phase 1 facility with a five-story addition to the south of this addition. At the completion of Phase 2, the new Phase 1 entry will be near the midpoint between the two pavilions. The buildings will connect on each floor, providing an expanded lobby, additional outpatient services, and elevator access to the north end of the future nursing units.

Another feature of the Ambulatory Care Facility is its linkage of horizontal circulation systems with the main hospital and with an existing adjacent Medical Office Building.


A construction manager was retained at project initiation, and project components were bid with multiple contracts under four separate bid packages. This allowed construction to commence while interior spaces were still in the schematic design phase. With the guidance of the three team leaders, the project was completed on schedule and slightly under budget.