The increased demand for sophisticated veterinary medicine has led to the construction of our new 33,000-square-foot veterinary specialty and emergency trauma center located in Robbinsville, NJ. The new hospital will replace the existing 5200 square foot facility in Millstone Township, NJ.
Site work began in the spring of 2009 on the three acre parcel at 315 Robbinsville-Allentown Road. The new facility, which is scheduled to open in May of 2010, will employ approximately 183 people, including 37 specialists and emergency clinicians, and treat about 375 animals a week, said Brie Messier, MBA, Hospital Administrator.
Headed by Daniel Stobie, DVM, MS, and Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, the new hospital will be among the state's largest and most sophisticated, providing services in surgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology, oncology, radiology, dermatology, emergency, critical care, cardiology, theriogenology, complementary therapies and much more.
The pre-construction and construction management services are being provided by Sweetwater Construction Corp. based in Cranbury, N.J., a recognized leader in New Jersey construction management and general contracting. Sweetwater was chosen because of its track record in constructing sophisticated medical facilities that require experience in such areas as sterility, medical gases, sound abatement and air flow, Messier said.
"Sweetwater is very pleased to be working on this state-of-the-art veterinary hospital," said Ron Witt Sr., president of Sweetwater Construction Corp. "We are familiar with the complexities of building highly sophisticated medical facilities such as this one, which includes surgical areas, isolation areas and highly complex medical equipment."
The hospital will be fully staffed and prepared to admit emergency cases around-the-clock, seven days a week, and provide critical care in a specialized intensive care unit. And as a Level 1 trauma center, the hospital will be unique in having a team dedicated to treating trauma patients. Except in cases of emergency, patients will be referred by primary care veterinarians from throughout the region.
The facility, designed by Jeffrey L. Grogan Architects of Conshohocken, Pa., will include four surgical suites, an MRI machine, a CT scanner, a radiology treatment center and quarantine areas. The two-story building will have separate cat and dog wards as well as a first-in-its-class dog-walking portico.
In addition to the need to deal with complex medical demands, Sweetwater has dealt with site-related challenges in constructing the new facility. The location, which is the site of a former farm, features 200-year-old trees that the hospital wants to preserve. Also, elements of the old farmhouse, including hand-hewn beams and brick walls, are being incorporated into the new structure, which means that the old farmhouse had to be carefully dismantled rather than simply knocked down.
The preservation of the mature trees as well as the incorporation of the features from the old farmhouse will aid in creating the kind of comfortable, welcoming environment that is paramount to the hospital's culture and high standards of service, Messier said. The hospital will strive to create an intimate, personalized atmosphere through the open design and layout of the public areas, which are infused with rich colors and textures. The design is the result of a three-year collaboration between hospital staff and architect.
Adding to the concept of highly attentive care, the facility will maintain its higher-than-average support staff to doctor ratio which has been proven to facilitate the successful delivery of efficient, quality service to patients, pet owners and referring veterinarians.
The hospital is at the forefront of a nationwide trend to provide more sophisticated medical care to pets, Messier said. She attributed the demand to the close relationship between people and their pets that is fostered in a culture that recognizes the benefits of owning a pet to their owners' health and well-being, as well to as a willingness to pay for a higher level of medical care.
"The role of the pet has changed. Cats and dogs are now full-time companions," Messier said. "Pet owners, regardless of their incomes, feel a greater sense of responsibility for the care of their pets that did not exist in generations past."
About Sweetwater Construction Corp:
Established in 1974 and headquartered in Cranbury, N. J., Sweetwater Construction is guided by a proven management team and a client-centric business philosophy. Sweetwater provides clients with expert preconstruction and construction services backed by professional commitment and personal accountability. Sweetwater's project teams possess proven track records in the corporate, healthcare, science and technology, hospitality, multi-family and institutional sectors. Sweetwater's notable project methodology delivers expertise in budgeting, estimating, constructability, lifecycle reviews, and project control methodology, all of which come together to help ensure a successful project. For more information, please visit http://www.sweetwatercorp.com/about_us.htm.
For more information on services offered by Jeffrey L. Grogan Architects, visit the Web site at http://www.jlgarch.com/JLG-home.htm.
*As adapted from a press release put out by Sweetwater Construction in 2009.
