Originally published October 31, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified October 31, 2007 at 2:03 AM
Children's unveils revised plan
A new plan that would lower the height of medical towers Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center wants to build got a cold reception...
Seattle Times staff reporter
A new plan that would lower the height of medical towers Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center wants to build got a cold reception from Laurelhust neighbors, who say the development would still be too massive.
Responding to demands from city officials and the Laurelhurst community, the hospital delivered a revised plan on Tuesday that still envisions four new towers and would still add 1.5 million square feet and 350 beds over the next two decades.
While the revision is only conceptual at this point, it would lower the height of the tallest tower to 160 feet from 240 feet. The hospital drawings indicate that the other towers also would shrink but don't include specific heights.
The Laurelhurst Community Club, which over the years has been at odds with the hospital over noise, parking and other congestion-related issues, objected to the hospital's initial expansion plan, and wasn't impressed with the concept the hospital presented at a meeting Tuesday night.
Before the meeting began, community club President Jeannie Hale said that even scaled back, the towers would be "much higher than any other major institution in a low density, single-family neighborhood."
Traffic concerns
Other neighbors also spoke out against the revision, saying it would make traffic congestion worse.
Gisela Schimmelbusch, a particularly vocal critic, said she wouldn't agree to the revised proposal — or any plan for the hospital to expand in Laurelhurst.
"The site is full," she said, suggesting that rather than expand, the hospital relocate, such as to South Lake Union.
But hospital officials said that would be a waste of money — costing upward of $1.5 billion, not counting the cost of land.
Other neighbors said they haven't had enough time to look over the revised proposal.
The hospital has said that with admissions rising about 3 percent annually, it will run out of space in a few years.
![]()
Single rooms
Children's also wants to provide all patients with their own rooms, which officials say would offer more comfort than double-occupancy rooms and also would reduce the risk of spreading infections.
"There are very credible medical reasons why we don't want to mix patients together," said Dr. Sanford Melzer, the hospital's senior vice president of strategic planning and business development.
Lower towers
Under the revised concept, the lowered towers would be somewhat wider. Instead of 24-bed clusters, the revision would make room for 36 beds per cluster, said Ruth Benfield, Children's vice president of facilities.
The revised plan also reduces the building height of the Hartmann medical clinic across Sand Point Way Northeast to 105 feet from 120 feet, she said, and moves a proposed central utility plant away from the campus' perimeter, where the noise could disturb neighbors.
None of that means much to 3-year-old Angelina Blackstock.
The girl from Boise, Idaho, was bumped from a single-occupancy room to a double since she entered Children's in September for an operation to lengthen her intestines and enable her to digest food.
Patient comfort
Last week nurses moved the second bed out of her room, giving her mom, Nickolet Blackstock, 26, less reason to worry about her daughter being exposed to germs.
And little things like noise from another patient can disturb her daughter's sleep, she said. With a single room, "it's just more comfortable for us."
Seattle Times staff reporter Brian Alexander contributed to this report.
Sanjay Bhatt: 206-464-3103 or sbhatt@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company
UPDATE - 02:18 PM
Arson suspect has long history of setting fires
Band of advocates, activists now McGinn's likely insiders
Light rail to airport to begin Dec. 19
Kirkland annex 'yes' could be slipping away
UPDATE - 02:25 PM
Kent man challenges Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels' gun ban

Opening day at Crystal Mountain
Skiers crowded the slopes at Crystal Mountain for one of the resort's earliest openings.
nwjobs

Post a comment

Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
How to tell your office you're gravely ill
Post a comment
nwautos

Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
- Homeless man, 46, arrested in Greenwood arsons
- KVI talk radio host off the air as of Thursday
- Steve Kelley | ESPN's Bill Simmons gets us: He hates Clay Bennett, too
- Police investigate videotaped arrest
- Seattle U. Men's Hoops | Big recruit goes from Huskies to Redhawks
- Mariners sign Jack Wilson to 2-year contract
- Razor found in muffin an accident, 'mortified' baker says
- Suspect's family shaken by slaying of police officer
- Mountlake Terrace woman reports razor in muffin
- Man says he will protest city's gun ban by carrying gun into community center
- Police investigate videotaped arrest
635 - OSU game thread
334 - Seattle man to pack a pistol into community center to protest mayor's ban
326 - Light rail to airport to begin Dec. 19
178 - KVI talk radio host off the air as of Thursday
143 - Mariners sign Jack Wilson to 2-year contract
142 - NYC trial for 9/11 suspects poses risks
112 - Wright State game thread
97 - Band of advocates, activists now McGinn's likely insiders
87 - Rang says Locker not ready for NFL
85
- Light rail to airport to begin Dec. 19
- Homeless man, 46, arrested in Greenwood arsons
- Ivar's undersea billboards a hoax devised as marketing ploy
- Light rail to airport to begin Dec. 19
- Steve Kelley | ESPN's Bill Simmons gets us: He hates Clay Bennett, too
- An 802.11n upgrade could make a big difference
- KVI talk radio host off the air as of Thursday
- Washington in race for federal education funds
- Police investigate videotaped arrest
- Goodwill's Glitter Sale is Nov. 14-15








