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Acquisition of Neurology & Neuroscience building part of plan to buy more neighboring downtown properties
By Cheryl Powell
Beacon Journal medical writer
POSTED: 06:54 p.m. EST, Nov 02, 2009
Akron Children's Hospital is getting ready for another growth spurt.
The pediatric hospital recently acquired the Neurology & Neuroscience Associates' building on West Exchange Street as it looks to expand its main campus.
Akron Children's Executive Vice President Shawn Lyden said the hospital also is in talks with other property owners surrounding its main campus, located off West Exchange Street by Bowery and Locust streets.
''We'd like to own as many of the properties contiguous to our campus as possible just to accommodate future expansion,'' he said.
The hospital is in the process of hiring at least 45 new physician specialists by 2012 to staff new services, meet patient demand and cover retirements, Lyden said. However, an outpatient facility built about five years ago on the main campus already is nearly full.
''We're essentially out of office space,'' he said.
Akron Children's also wants to replace its neonatal intensive care unit, renovate or replace its emergency department, expand operating room capacity, add parking and expand its electrical substation within the next few years, Lyden said.
''One of the things we're going to initiate in the next six months or so is bringing in a consultant to do a master facilities plan to look at what we have now and plan things out for the next five years,'' he said.
The hospital's last major construction projects on its main campus — the William H. Considine Professional Building, a new parking lot and two additions to the hospital — were completed about five years ago.
Since that time, Akron Children's has added new services and expanded its geographic reach with a new hospital in the Youngstown-Warren area.
Total inpatient admissions increased about 15 percent from January through September compared to the same time period last year, Lyden said. Emergency department visits also increased about 30 percent.
Akron Children's reached a deal to buy the Neurology & Neuroscience Associates main building last year.
At the time, the neurology practice decided to construct a new main office off White Pond Drive in Akron, said Fred Luecke, practice administrator and chief financial officer.
Starting last year, the hospital agreed to lease half the building to house public relations, marketing, managed care, purchasing, government relations and accounting departments.
Akron Children's recently purchased the property for $4.8 million, according to records with the Summit County Fiscal Officer.
The neurology practice now is leasing its half of the building until its new facility is finished at the beginning of January, Luecke said.
Akron Children's likely will use the additional space to house one or more of its outpatient practices, but a final decision hasn't been made, Lyden said.
The neurology practice's new $9 million facility has easy access off Interstate 77, which will provide easier access for patients, Luecke said.
The new building will consolidate its main office in downtown Akron and a satellite location in West Akron, he said.
The facility will house 10 doctors, six nurse practitioners, two neuropsychologists, a multiple sclerosis center, a stroke prevention center, a TIA (transient ischemic attack) clinic and a new headache center, Luecke said.
''We wanted it to be a disease-specific neuroscience center,'' he said. ''If we really want to be a regional center, we want people to have quick, easy access to us and have good visibility.''
Akron Children's also is leasing office space in the new building on White Pond Drive for its general pediatric practice, known as Akron Children's Hospital Pediatrics.
In addition, Summa plans to rent a portion of the new West Akron facility for outpatient services, including a sleep lab and neuro-diagnostic services.
Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or chpowell@thebeaconjournal.com.
Akron Children's Hospital is getting ready for another growth spurt.
The pediatric hospital recently acquired the Neurology & Neuroscience Associates' building on West Exchange Street as it looks to expand its main campus.
Akron Children's Executive Vice President Shawn Lyden said the hospital also is in talks with other property owners surrounding its main campus, located off West Exchange Street by Bowery and Locust streets.
''We'd like to own as many of the properties contiguous to our campus as possible just to accommodate future expansion,'' he said.
The hospital is in the process of hiring at least 45 new physician specialists by 2012 to staff new services, meet patient demand and cover retirements, Lyden said. However, an outpatient facility built about five years ago on the main campus already is nearly full.
''We're essentially out of office space,'' he said.
Akron Children's also wants to replace its neonatal intensive care unit, renovate or replace its emergency department, expand operating room capacity, add parking and expand its electrical substation within the next few years, Lyden said.
''One of the things we're going to initiate in the next six months or so is bringing in a consultant to do a master facilities plan to look at what we have now and plan things out for the next five years,'' he said.
The hospital's last major construction projects on its main campus — the William H. Considine Professional Building, a new parking lot and two additions to the hospital — were completed about five years ago.
Since that time, Akron Children's has added new services and expanded its geographic reach with a new hospital in the Youngstown-Warren area.
Total inpatient admissions increased about 15 percent from January through September compared to the same time period last year, Lyden said. Emergency department visits also increased about 30 percent.
Akron Children's reached a deal to buy the Neurology & Neuroscience Associates main building last year.
At the time, the neurology practice decided to construct a new main office off White Pond Drive in Akron, said Fred Luecke, practice administrator and chief financial officer.
Starting last year, the hospital agreed to lease half the building to house public relations, marketing, managed care, purchasing, government relations and accounting departments.
Akron Children's recently purchased the property for $4.8 million, according to records with the Summit County Fiscal Officer.
The neurology practice now is leasing its half of the building until its new facility is finished at the beginning of January, Luecke said.
Akron Children's likely will use the additional space to house one or more of its outpatient practices, but a final decision hasn't been made, Lyden said.
The neurology practice's new $9 million facility has easy access off Interstate 77, which will provide easier access for patients, Luecke said.
The new building will consolidate its main office in downtown Akron and a satellite location in West Akron, he said.
The facility will house 10 doctors, six nurse practitioners, two neuropsychologists, a multiple sclerosis center, a stroke prevention center, a TIA (transient ischemic attack) clinic and a new headache center, Luecke said.
''We wanted it to be a disease-specific neuroscience center,'' he said. ''If we really want to be a regional center, we want people to have quick, easy access to us and have good visibility.''
Akron Children's also is leasing office space in the new building on White Pond Drive for its general pediatric practice, known as Akron Children's Hospital Pediatrics.
In addition, Summa plans to rent a portion of the new West Akron facility for outpatient services, including a sleep lab and neuro-diagnostic services.
Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or chpowell@thebeaconjournal.com.
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