Project category: New construction & Remodel/Renovation (completed February 2005)

Chief administrator: Dennis Collette, Chief Executive Officer, (973) 579-8300

Firm: Ballinger, (215) 446-0900

Design team: Julia Wirick, AIA, Project Architect, Designer; Kurt Baur, AIA, Project Manager; Ed Jakmauh, AIA, ACHA, LEED AP, Principal-in-Charge; Clare Cerniglia, Electrical Engineer; John Romano, Mechanical Engineer

Photography: Barry Halkin

Total building area (sq. ft.): 14,900 (new); 7,500 (renovation)

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $376 (new); $213 (renovation)

Total construction cost (excluding land): $5,600,000 (new); $1,600,000 (renovation)


The Newton Memorial Hospital Emergency Department, when constructed in 1988, was designed to accommodate 21,000 patient visits per year. By 2001, the facility was being severely impacted by more than 30,000 annual patient visits. The hospital recognized the need to expand the department to eventually accommodate 60,000 annual visits, essentially tripling the size of the facility.

The issue was to expand the department, keeping it in operation while maintaining the close, convenient, and efficient adjacencies to the existing Surgery Suite, Intensive Care Unit, and Imaging capabilities. The first phase of the expansion brought the volume capacity to 35,000, with a second phase of expansion allowing growth to 60,000 visits. A CT Suite with full spiral capability was included, in good proximity to the Acute and Trauma areas.

The glass entry pavilion is visible immediately upon entry to the campus almost one-half mile away. It is an identifiable destination and “welcoming lantern” on the campus. The main entry/large reception area was positioned at the southwest corner of the plan to provide easy wayfinding and views of the surrounding countryside.

In the ambulance area outside, there is provision and infrastructure for full-scale mass-decontamination and mass-casualty treatment with mobile units, in the event of a terrorist incident. The footprint, structure, and infrastructure of the new ER allow for three additional Patient Care units to be constructed above the unit, when Newton Memorial Hospital upgrades to all private rooms.