Thrilled to Build
In September, the walls went up at the new facility in Vacaville.
A massive crane gently lifted 57 individual 42-foot-tall concrete panels into place in early September as a new Wellness Center quickly began to rise on the grounds of the NorthBay VacaValley Hospital campus in Vacaville.
The 110,000-square-foot building, which should be completed this time next year, will house a new NorthBay Cancer Center, a medical fitness center and a variety of specialty services. It and a three-year modernization project at NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield represent NorthBay Healthcare’s investment of more than $200 million in advanced medicine in Solano County.
On the site to witness the first 200,000-pound panel being lifted into place, NorthBay President and CEO Gary Passama noted, “It’s a big day for NorthBay, because after three and a half years of planning, the walls are finally going up.”
Once the exterior walls were in place, work began on the interior. The three-story structure will also include an outpatient diagnostic imaging center, diabetes and endocrinology, orthopedics, rehabilitation services and cardiac rehabilitation.
A new parking lot is under construction behind NorthBay Medical Center.
The west end of the building will host the county’s first medical fitness center. In 56,000 square feet, it features a natatorium (aquatic center) with lap pool, general purpose pool, warm water therapy pool and whirlpool. There will be two group exercise rooms, a Queenax fitness system, dedicated Pilates and cycling rooms, a large cardio area, and strength training and personal training areas.
Meanwhile in Fairfield, preliminary site work is well under way as a good portion of NorthBay Medical Center is replaced, renovated or modernized. The first phase comprises a 4,500-square-foot welcoming pavilion as well as new infrastructure in preparation for the next phase.
Once the welcoming pavilion is completed, emergency services and the NorthBay Trauma Center will expand into the old lobby.
A 76,000-square-foot three-story wing will feature a new concept in surgery suites as well as 22 “patient rooms of the future.” The wing will replace older sections of the 50-year-old Fairfield hospital and will include diagnostic imaging services, and a spacious cafeteria and kitchen facility.
Hard Hat Report Tracks Construction
With the frenzy of construction activity occurring at both NorthBay Medical Center and NorthBay VacaValley Hospital campuses, a new section has been created on our website to help visitors navigate buildings and parking quickly and safely. NorthBay.org/hardhat offers construction and traffic updates, as well as background about the projects, details on the architects, builders and renderings of the final designs. The website has live web cams at both sites, so progress can be easily monitored.