Harbor-UCLA Medical Center near Torrance, one of five trauma centers in Los Angeles County, has begun a $1.6 billion upgrade that will include a new 468,000-square-foot inpatient tower and 198,000-square-foot outpatient building, dramatically reshaping the antiquated facility and improving patient care.
The new inpatient building will have 346 beds, including 36 designated for patients needing psychiatric care. It will also house a new emergency department for psychiatric patients and a rooftop helicopter landing pad.
A 17,000-square-foot connector will run between the new inpatient building and existing surgical and emergency building.
A 381,000-square-foot parking structure and two new surface parking lots will also be part of the outpatient building project, as is a 197,000-square-foot support building.
Other new ancillary structures in the overall upgrade will include a pair of utility support buildings, a 24,000-square-foot facilities and information technology building, and a warehouse. Other existing surface parking lots will also be expanded.
The medical center, which dates to 1946 and sits in the unincorporated county area of West Carson, between the cities of Torrance and Carson, will remain operational throughout the construction project.
JGM is part of a joint venture team providing architectural and engineering design services for the addition of 93,000 square foot ambulatory care unit which provides outpatient primary care which allowed for the 174,000 square foot renovation of existing surgery/emergency departments and central supply services. Forty-five thousand square feet of vacated space were utilized in support of ancillary functions. Additionally, a new elevator tower was added improving vertical hospital circulation and a helipad will be relocated at graded closer to the surgery unit.
