ARLINGTON, Texas – Physicians, practice administrators, hospital and health system executives and city officials gathered yesterday evening to celebrate demolition of the “900 Building” on the Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital campus. Demolition of the 1960’s era building will prepare the way for a new medical office project being developed by Cambridge Healthcare Properties. The 56,000-square-foot building will house physicians and services from cardiac care provider HeartPlace and cancer treatment center Texas Oncology, among others.
The new medical office building will be completed in late 2012.
Attendees at the event, dubbed “Sledge Fest,” were thanked by Cambridge President David Ashworth, Arlington Memorial Hospital President Kirk King and Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck, M.D., for their diligence in seeing this project through the planning stages.
The project is being executed in phases, including abatement and demolition of the 900 Building’s rotunda to provide room for construction of the new building. Once construction is complete, HeartPlace will move its operations from the 900 Building into the new building; the 900 Building will be abated and demolished; and a new parking lot will be constructed on its former footprint to support the new building.
Cambridge President David Ashworth speaks while
AMH Hospital President Kirk King looks on.
In a lighthearted speech Ashworth presented a number of items that will help see doctors, administrators and patients through construction of the building and parking. Stress balls, ear plugs, traffic vests, aspirin and pedometers were among the giveaways. He noted that while the process will be trying at times, Cambridge’s staff will work to mitigate the inconvenience with services like valet parking for patients while the new parking lot is being built.
Attendee gifts
Attendees were invited to don hardhats and safety glasses and to “take a swing” at a wall with sledgehammers, commemorating replacement of the 900 Building with the new property. Construction will begin in early March. HeartPlace is expected to move into its new quarters in late 2012, with Texas Oncology and other tenants joining in early 2013.
Above and Below: Taking a swing at the Sledge Fest wall.
