Expansion Updates

Live Construction Feed:

Expansion Videos:

Lane Covered Time from Everett Latiolais on Vimeo.

Lane Steel Time from Everett Latiolais on Vimeo.

Slab/Pour and Elevator/Stairwell Shafts from Everett Latiolais on Vimeo.

Laneability Ground Breaking.mov from Everett Latiolais on Vimeo.

Expansion Update - April 18, 2024

• In order to begin renovations on the new patient registration and surgery pre-admit areas, the main front entrance and front hallway entrance to Imaging/Lab have been closed. Patients and staff are now entering the hospital through the emergency room entrance and can still access Imaging/Lab by using the admissions office hallway.
• It is anticipated the front entrance will be closed for at least six months.
• The chapel will remain closed until renovations are complete on the new chapel. The prayer box has been relocated to the 1^st floor elevator lobby, and the pastor will continue to collect prayers placed in the box on Wednesdays.
• Exterior brick work continues on the elevator shafts and stairwells, and almost all upper level windows have been installed.
• Drywall and insulation are going up on the 3^rd and 4^th floors, while framing, electrical, plumbing, lighting, and HVAC duct work begin on 2^nd

Expansion Update - January 18, 2023

It’s been almost a year since our expansion project for an updated facility focused on patient-centered care began. Construction of the 4-story patient tower is at the half-way point. Weather permitting, the new tower is scheduled open in December 2024.

• 3 A/C chillers are installed.
• Elevator shafts and stairwells have been painted with a special waterproofing paint (yellow).
• Strapping for HVAC ducts, temporary lighting, and plumbing pipe supports are installed.
• Installation of HVAC ducts has begun on the 4th
• Plumbing rough ins and framing for walls has started on the 4th
• Window frames have arrived and scaffolding to install is going up.
• The 2 “crosses” seen on top of the building are anchors for a window washer to attach equipment.

Expansion Update - December 18, 2023

Construction of the new 82,000 square foot, four-story patient tower at Lane continues to move forward. Its anticipated completion date is December 2024/January 2025.

• A special lightweight concrete for the roof has been poured and the white rubber matting to waterproof the roof is being put in. Once the roof is complete, interior work can begin.
• A/C chillers are being installed on the roof.
• Fireproofing spray is going in.
• Exterior stone has been delivered, install is scheduled to begin in January.

Expansion Update - November 13, 2023

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Construction of the new 82,000 square foot, four-story patient tower at Lane continues to move forward.

• The structural steel work for the four-story tower is complete.  
• Wall studs and exterior yellow sheathing is going up around the building. Exterior brick work will begin later this month and interior sheetrock will begin in December.
• Both stairwells, both elevator shafts, and the firewall between the existing building and new construction are complete.
• Concrete for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors has been poured, and the roofing concrete will be completed by the end of November.
• Installation of the new sewer line is complete.    

If you have questions about the Lane Expansion Project, please email jmclin@lanermc.org

Expansion Update - July 13, 2023

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Construction of the new 82,000 square foot, four-story patient tower at Lane is underway.

Foundation preparations for the four-story patient tower are complete, including removing remaining concrete and debris from the demolition work, leveling dirt, pouring 150 concrete pylons to support the steel columns of the four-story tower, digging trenches around the exterior pylons and filling them concrete to support the exterior walls.

Pits for the two elevator shafts and two stairwells are dug and framing is taking shape. Those are the tall, cinderblock/wooden structures that are rising up from the ground.

Plumbing and electrical components are in place and half of the slab has been poured. The remainder of the slab will be poured over the next 3-4 weeks.

A cinderblock firewall is being built between the exterior wall of the hospital and where the new construction will begin.

A new sewer line is being installed, which entails digging 15 feet underneath existing parking areas.

If you have questions about the Lane Expansion Project, please email jmclin@lanermc.org.

Expansion Update - April 26, 2023

LANE BREAKS GROUND ON FOUR-STORY PATIENT TOWER

The 90M hospital expansion project for Lane Regional Medical Center is moving forward. Demolition of the hospital’s west wing and former nursing home is complete. Groundbreaking for the new 82,000 square foot, four-story patient tower was recently held with Lane board members, administrators, contractors, and architects all wearing decorated hard hats made by staff.

Major changes to the hospital include:

• New four-story tower and 37,000 square feet of interior renovations
• 48 new, private, expansive patient rooms with large windows & walk-in showers
• 6 new ICU rooms, double the current size, creating a total of 14 ICU rooms
• 2nd floor dedicated to a contemporary Surgery Department
• 4 new operating suites, double the current size, equipped with advanced technology
• 15 private, comfortable pre- & post-surgery patient rooms
• Endoscopy Center and Infusion Center relocated to inside the Surgery Department
• Patient Registration and Surgery Pre-admit areas relocated to the front entrance
• New dining room with more seating and upgraded serving line
• Expanded Lab and Imaging areas
• 2^nd CT machine dedicated to ER and Pre-admit testing
• UV light technology for purified air throughout the facility
• Dedicated generator for the 4-story tower to ensure uninterrupted care
• New elevator with direct access to 2^nd floor Surgery Department
• Enlarged gift shop
• Modernized front entrance

“We are excited about the future of Lane and what this expansion means to all we serve,” says Lane CEO Larry Meese. “Upon completion in 2026, our newly modernized facility will expand Lane’s ability to provide patient-centered care as well as enhance our mission to provide exceptional healthcare services to every patient, every time.”

One of the largest employers in Zachary, Lane Regional Medical Center is a 131-bed, regional healthcare system that serves as the primary resource for more than 200,000 residents throughout Zachary and the surrounding regions of Baker, Central, Slaughter, Jackson, Clinton, St. Francisville, New Roads, North Baton Rouge, and Southern Mississippi.

Pictured L-R, Front Row: Staci Sullivan, Larry Meese, Thomas Scott, David Bowman, Nakeisha Cleveland, Jordan Charlet, Debby Brian, Gaynell Young, Reagan Elkins, Michael Devall, and David Beck.

Back Row: Stephanie Pielich, Paul Woodward, John Alberstadt, Adam Bourgeois, Steve Carville, Vic Todd, Jamie Bohanon, and Charles Thompson. Not pictured: Donna Kline and Darnell Waites.

Expansion Update - February 2023

Expansion Update - January 2023

What’s New

• Fencing is up and construction trailers are in place.
• Time lapse camera is installed with a live feed of the construction zone, 24/7. Links to the live feed are available on Lane’s website and Facebook page.
• Asbestos removal in the west wing/old nursing home will begin the week of Jan 16th and will take about 3 weeks to complete.
• Demolition of the west wing/old nursing home is scheduled to begin the week of Feb 6th.

Kick-off Events

Thursday, February 2nd

• A News Brief event for the media, community leaders, and invited guests will be held to provide information about the Expansion Project and what it means for the region.

Expansion Update - December 2022

Great news! After months of reviewing and planning to finalize the financing and project design details, we were able to move forward with closing on the loan and are now able to begin construction on the Expansion Project!  

The notice to proceed was issued to the contractor, which allows them to move forward with staging and securing the construction area.  

Fencing will begin going up in front of the hospital (right side), around the side and back of the old nursing home, past the loading dock, and into the Cardiovascular Center parking area. (See areas in red in the photo below.)

The front entrance parking lot will be reconfigured and remain open for the convenience of patients and guests.

Expansion Update - August 2022

WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS:

• Johnson Johnson Crabtree was selected as architect firm. With input from administration, staff, and physicians, they completed a 12-month design plan to determine floor plans, room layouts, flow, equipment, furniture, and materials for staff efficiency and patient comfort.
• Milton J. Womack was selected as the General Contractor. Using the architect’s design plans they established a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for cost of construction, not to exceed $60M.
• This final GMP was considerably higher than originally estimated because of COVID-19 inflation - cost of materials almost doubled and labor rates rose substantially.  
• With Board approval, the GMP for the expansion project was submitted to the USDA for approval. The total cost of the expansion project, including equipment and furniture, is estimated to be $90M.
• After passing State Fire, State Health, and City of Zachary reviews, the USDA is expected to approve our financing request at 2.5% interest, giving us green light to move forward with construction.
• To prepare for the 4-story tower:
  • In March, the nursing home residents moved into the newly built Lodge at Lane located behind the hospital;
  • Other departments such as HR, Accounting, Staff Development, Quality, Care Management, and Administration have moved or are in the process of moving into temporary spaces throughout the hospital;
  • The cafeteria loading dock will be closed, and a new process for deliveries will be established; and
  • Staff parking located behind the nursing home and in front of the Cath Lab, and patient parking in the hospital’s front parking (west side) will be eliminated and fenced off as part of the construction zone.
• Once we get final approval from the USDA, construction crews will take about a month to mobilize, bringing in heavy equipment and fencing off the affected areas.
• Demolition will begin shortly thereafter and will take about 3 weeks to complete.
• Construction of the 4-story tower will then begin and is planned to take approximately two years to complete, hopefully by Fall 2024.
• Once the 4-story tower is complete, Phase 2 will begin, which includes relocating patient registration to the front lobby area, modernizing the front portico entrance, cafeteria, gift shop, lab, and imaging areas, and finally renovating the old operating suite to accommodate new waiting, pre/post op, recovery, and endoscopy suite areas.
• Phase 2 will take at least another year to complete, with a final completion date of early 2026.

Expansion Update - January 30, 2022

The architect design team met with key staff and department leaders for an initial review of paint colors, tile, flooring, countertops, cabinet and door finishes, and furniture for both patient care areas and public spaces.

The wall paint colors suggested are soft, neutral, and timeless, and the ceilings will be white. The flooring materials look high-end yet are durable, non-slip, and easy to maintain. The curtain fabric for patient rooms coordinates with the paint colors and are easy to remove and clean. The entire facility will have a similar color pallette or ‘look’ with lots of textures and pops of color on accent walls to help with wayfinding.

Door security was discussed to determine which doors will have badge readers for staff access only, such as OR, OB, ICU, and ER, and which will be accessible to the general public. Some internal doors will have intercoms, and the main entrance doors will have a remote lockdown function.

A life-sized cardboard mock-up of an Operating Room suite was put up for staff and physicians to review. This mock-up allowed them to see the new room layout, including where vital gas and oxygen components, power outlets, and overhead lights will be located. Feedback was given to help modify placement for staff efficiency, patient care functionality, and patient comfort.

Before demolition of the existing space can begin to make room for the construction of the new 4-story tower, eight departments will have to be relocated temporarily. The affected departments are Quality, Case Management, Human Resources, Accounting, Staff Development, Executive Offices, Nursing Services, and Health Information Management. A relocation plan is underway and everyone in these departments will be moved into their new space by the end of May with help from Plant Operations and IT.

The Nursing Home will be moving into their new facility, The Lodge at Lane, being built behind the hospital on Carpenter Road once it is completed in a few months.

Next Steps:

Color renderings of public spaces, patient rooms, patient care areas, restrooms, and the cafeteria will be provided to help finalize color selctions, materials, and furniture.

Construction estimates will be finalized once the construction manager reviews the final design documents and confirms quantity of casework/cabinets, power, medical gas, etc.

Groundbreaking is still on track for this summer. The 4-story tower is set to be completed in spring 2024.

First look at proposed overall color pallette.

Carpet for entry vestibles, counter tops, and cabinets/doors.

Patient room wall colors, accent wall colors, and flooring to consider.

Patient care area paint colors and main hallway luxury vinyl flooring.

Patient restroom tiles and poured resin, no-grout, apoxy flooring.

Proposed patterned patient room curtains with snaps for easy removal to launder or replace.

Pulbic restroom tiles, apoxy flooring, and paint colors.

Exterior stone and wall colors.

Dr. Elbourne from Lane OB/GYN provides input for the new OR rooms.

Dr. Sanfiel and Dr. Bourgeois from Lane Surgery Group review the new OR layout and functionality. 

Expansion Update - December 10, 2021

The architect design team was recently on site with life-sized cardboard mock-ups of key rooms for staff and physicians to review.  These mock-ups allowed staff to see the new room layouts, including where vital gas and oxygen components, power outlets, and light switches are to be placed.  They then gave feedback to modify placement for staff efficiency, patient care functionality, and patient comfort.

Detailed finish and furniture reviews are planned for January 2022.

Construction estimates will be finalized once the construction manager reviews the final design development documents and confirms quantity of casework/cabinets, power, medical gas, etc.

Groundbreaking is still estimated to begin in summer 2021 and the 4-story tower to be completed in spring 2024.

In the meantime, behind-the-scenes work continues, such as:

·        Fire code analysis and updates needed

·        Lift-station/sewage pump upgrade/planning with the city

·        IT network evaluation & upgrade

·        Traffic impact study

·        Medical equipment assessment

Kris Fryoux and Margaret Moore study the new patient room design and layout.

Courtney Day considers the new patient bathroom floorplan.

Jason Gwyn and Dr. Patel envision the new endoscopy room layout with the architect.

Renee Story and Lori Carruth comtemplate the new recovery room arrangement.

Expansion Update - March 2021

Lane recently put out a request for proposal to hire a Construction Manager to deliver the Expansion project at a guaranteed maximum price, including demolition of existing buildings to allow construction of a new four-story patient tower, renovations of the existing surgery department, and renovations of the first floor.  

The Selection Committee received five proposals from area construction companies, two were selected and interviewed as final candidates, and one was recommended to the Board for final approval.

At the March 29th Lane Board meeting, the Milton J. Womack, Inc construction company was approved as the Construction Manager for the project.

Groundbreaking is estimated to begin in summer 2022 and the new 4-story tower to be completed in spring 2024.

In the meantime, behind-the-scenes work continues, such as:

• Fire code analysis and updates needed
• Lift-station/sewage pump upgrade/planning with the city
• IT network evaluation & upgrade
• Traffic impact study
• Schematic design process
• Medical equipment assessment

Members of Johnson, Johnson, & Crabtree Architects are on site to look at departmental equipment needs, as well as continue meetings to discuss layout, flow, and design.

You may have noticed colored flags/markings all around the hospital’s campus. These are used to identify where the different underground utilities are located:

• Purple – storm drains
• Red – electricity
• Orange – communication
• Yellow – gas
• Blue – water

Lane Announces Hospital Expansion Project

In February 2019, Lane Regional Medical Center’s Board of Commissioners held a strategic planning meeting to approve a $50M expansion project in support of Lane’s vision to become the best community healthcare system in the nation.

Today, with financial support from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), this four-year hospital expansion project is underway and will give Lane an updated facility focused entirely on patient-centered care.

Major changes to the hospital include:

• New four-story tower to house state of the art Surgery Department double its current size, featuring larger surgery suites and outpatient surgery areas
• 48 expansive new patient rooms
• Relocation of patient Registration and Pre-Admission to the front entrance to streamline patient flow
• Expanded Lab and Imaging areas
• Modernized front entrance

The firm of Johnson Johnson Crabtree Architects was hired to oversee the project which is currently in Phase 1 - a 12-month design process with input from department leaders, team members, and physicians.

Ground breaking for the first four-story building in Zachary is slated for the spring of 2022.

“We are excited about the project because it expands Lane’s ability to provide exceptional healthcare service to every patient, every time,” said board chair Gaynell Young. “The USDA is investing more than $66 million to assist Lane in expanding access to quality healthcare.”

Through the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, Lane received a $61.3 million direct loan and a $4,950,000 guarantee loan for renovations and construction of a four-story tower. A portion of the funds will be used to consolidate existing debt.

 “We are pleased to report that USDA funding is truly making a difference modernizing our rural hospitals throughout the state,” USDA Louisiana State Director for Rural Development Roy Holleman said.  “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA is committed to being a strong partner in deploying this critical infrastructure in Louisiana and across all of America’s rural communities, because we know when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”

The project is expected to benefit more than 200,000 people in Zachary and the surrounding regions of Baker, Central, Slaughter, Jackson, Clinton, St. Francisville, New Roads, North Baton Rouge and Southern Mississippi.

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.

PHOTO: PICTURED L-R:

Staci Sullivan, Gaynell Young, Michael Duvall, Larry Meese, Roy Holleman, Tony Matlock, Morgan Washington, David Beck.

Expansion Renderings

Expansion News Coverage