The key design challenge was to add a five-story Ambulatory Care Center/Medical Office Building (MOB) and a five-story Parking Garage in an established neighborhood, while accommodating the growing needs of the Wilson N. Jones Medical Center. The MOB design provides a non-clinical, relaxing environment. The following functions are incorporated into the Ambulatory Care Center: Admitting/Registration, Outpatient (retail) Pharmacy, Outpatient Radiology, Ambulatory Surgery Center, Physician Office Space, Conference Center, and Food Court.

The MOB provides a “one-stop shop” for all outpatient needs and incorporates several amenities. One such feature is the two-story lobby area that serves as the key circulation and gathering space. The lobby has two escalators that provide quick access to the key outpatient care functions. In addition, the Food Court area has evolved into a social gathering place for those using the MOB and hospital. Additional steps were taken to accommodate the needs of the community by offering Internet access to users of the Food Court.

Project category: New construction (completed February 2002 [Parking Garage]; May 2003 [Medical Office Building])

Chief administrator: K. Steven Rowley, President & CEO, (903) 870-4611

Firm: Sterling Barnett Little, Inc., (817) 461-1352

Design team: Michael K. Barnett, Principal-in-Charge, Project Manager; Cliff Spruill, Project Designer; Lawrence Galbraith, Project Architect, Construction Administration; Kim Ward, Project Coordinator; Kellye J. Johnson, Senior Project Planner

Photography: R. Greg Hursley, Inc.

Total building area (GSF): 133,500 (Medical Office Building); 255,000 (Parking Garage)

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $137.82 (Medical Office Building); $23.52 (Parking Garage)

Total cost (excluding land): $24,400,000

The design of the Ambulatory Surgery Center emphasizes patient privacy and ease of circulation. A separate patient pickup area is located on the opposite side of the building (at the rear of the surgery center), under a protective canopy that allows patients to be picked up after their procedures without re-entering the public areas.

Additional design features include exterior spaces adjacent to the Lobby, and various upper-floor balconies for outdoor gathering and dining. While the third and fourth floors were designed for physician suites, the fifth floor also includes physician suites and a multiuse Conference Center that offers unique views of the city. The Medical Center accommodates a variety of room sizes with a multifunction A/V system to serve conference/meeting needs of the hospital or community groups. There is also direct access from the MOB to the main hospital by enclosed connectors on two different levels.

The award-winning, 779-space Parking Garage was designed to provide a convenient, safe environment for patients and visitors to the existing hospital. The project was undertaken to preserve and complement the existing architecture on the campus while providing a unique identity for the new Ambulatory Care Center. The entry is easily identifiable as the new “Main Street” of the campus.

The success of the design arises from the Parking Garage’s simple, clean lines and striking vertical circulation tower, which penetrates and anchors the southeast corner. The exterior of the garage provides an open feeling from the parking areas because of the amount of natural light entering from all four sides. The glass tower enclosure also provides natural light and a sense of openness. A linear, park-like setting around the garage softens the appearance of the large structure and incorporates it into the existing campus setting.

Overall, the design and material choices for both the Medical Office Building and the Parking Garage offer a seamless appearance with the existing facilities, while satisfying current and future outpatient needs.