Children's growing pains

Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center is a mother lode of pediatric medical expertise that you hope to never tap.

But many do and travel to the 100-year-old institution from throughout Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Montana and beyond. The demand already is testing the limits of the hospital, according to Children's Hospital officials proposing a major expansion that would double the number of beds at the Sandpoint Way campus. Who can argue with more of a good and needed thing? Some of the hospital's neighbors are. Led by the Laurelhurst Community Club, a group of neighbors is fearful about what a double-size hospital will do to traffic, pedestrian safety and views in the low-density neighborhood — all valid concerns being vetted in what has become a contentious planning process. The group has hired a land-use consultant and is expected to hire a hospital consultant soon. Their scrutiny will keep the hospital and city on point in justifying the expansion.

That said, Children's Hospital, located in the Laurelhurst neighborhood for 55 years, is an asset not just for the city, but for the region. It should be permitted to grow to serve its demonstrated needs now and anticipated future needs.

The Seattle Department of Planning and Development is expected to issue a preliminary draft environmental-impact statement in mid-January, spurring a round of public comment. In a two-year process, more reports and comment opportunities will follow.

For its part, Children's Hospital has complied with the city's request to consider alternatives to its original proposal. A recently revised proposal offers the same square footage — 2.5 million square feet — but with shorter, fatter buildings. Already, the hospital serves patients off site at clinics throughout the Northwest, strictly limits employee parking on the Laurelhurst campus and is concentrating its research efforts in downtown Seattle.

Still, demand is beginning to overwhelm the hospital's current capacity. In the months to come, the hospital will have the opportunity to prove that need to the city and answer the concerns of its neighbors as fully as possible.