Architects chosen for Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center

[thelakelander]

HKS was selected to design the Southbank/San Marco's next mid/high rise building. In addition to 200,000 square feet of space, it will also have a 500-space parking garage. Design should be finished in February and it should open in 2018. It takes out two blocks of surface parking and should help create a nice urban gateway into San Marco.

Baptist Health and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center announced Thursday they will work with HKS Architects Inc. and FreemanWhite to design the new Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center in Jacksonville.

The more than 200,000-square-foot center will be built on two blocks bordered by San Marco Boulevard, Children's Way, Gary Street and Palm Avenue, across the street from the Baptist Outpatient Center. The project cost has not been determined. It should open in 2018.

"The new Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center will be part of the Southbank skyline, visible from I-95, and a symbol of our powerful commitment to bring a new level of cancer care to our region," said Hugh Greene, Baptist Health president and CEO, in a news release.

Full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=545805

[JaxNative68]

Another out of town architect hired to perform local work...

[simms3]

But does Jax have any "local" firms that a hospital board can comfortably choose to head up what is clearly a 9 figure project?  HKS is one of the largest firms in the world and tends to do institutional work like this.  Maybe they hire a local architect to partner up to some extent, or local landscape architects for those components, but who cares if a local hospital chooses a firm that can do bland hospital buildings in their sleep and recycle designs efficiently and perhaps cost effectively, as well as manage a process and help reduce change orders as a result.

I mean, what are the local Jax firms to begin with?  What local firms in Jax have experience designing hospital buildings?  Likely none.

[Tacachale]

Good news.

[thelakelander]

HKS is designing an expansion of the MD Anderson center in Houston. So, really it's a partnership with an out-of-town institution that had decided to use an architect they are already familiar with.  Happens all the time. With that said, they are teaming up with FreemanWhite (part of Haskell). The article states that the two firms collectively have designed almost 140 cancer centers.

[CCMjax]

But does Jax have any "local" firms that a hospital board can comfortably choose to head up what is clearly a 9 figure project?  HKS is one of the largest firms in the world and tends to do institutional work like this.  Maybe they hire a local architect to partner up to some extent, or local landscape architects for those components, but who cares if a local hospital chooses a firm that can do bland hospital buildings in their sleep and recycle designs efficiently and perhaps cost effectively, as well as manage a process and help reduce change orders as a result.

I mean, what are the local Jax firms to begin with?  What local firms in Jax have experience designing hospital buildings?  Likely none.

Grasham, Smith and Partners does a lot of hospital work.  I have worked with them a lot and they are well equipped for this type of work and size.  They did the new UF Health North Jax Phase 1 facility up by the airport which turned out great, Phase 2 coming shortly.  Best local healthcare architects I've worked with.  Here's a link to their healthcare projects.

http://www.greshamsmith.com/projects?m=20

[Steve]

Gresham Smith is the only Jax one that I could think of that has solid Hospital experience. They've done quite a few, so I'm sure they could handle the job.

With that said, they are a Houston company, so they picked a Houston firm. Not a big deal to me.

[ProjectMaximus]

No idea if they have much experience but RS&H has done one hospital that I know of.

[carpnter]

I think it is more important that a local GC get the work and most of the subcontracts go to local contractors than ensuring that a local architect get the work.

[CCMjax]

Haskell also does some healthcare design. 

[Bill Hoff]

Haskell also does some healthcare design.

They did the UF Proton Therapy Institute in SPR, for example.

[thelakelander]

The healthcare arm of Haskell is working on this project with HKS, as well. So it does have some form of local representation.