Crews raise key beam for UCHealth Greeley Hospital

GREELEY – On Tuesday, about nine months after construction crews started working on the UCHealth Greeley Campus, they celebrated a major milestone.

Many of them, along with others who have had a hand in building the project that will include a new full-service hospital and medical center, signed their names on a metal beam that was adorned with a Christmas tree and American flag. The beam was raised and installed in one of the tallest spots of the hospital structure – part of the iconic arc element that has become part of the UCHealth’s architectural identity.

Jason Oltman, a senior project manager at JE Dunn, the general contractor for the project, explained to about 350 craftsmen and visitors who gathered at the site that the topping-out ceremony is a longstanding construction tradition that honors the hard work of the crews and their commitment to safety.

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Crews have been building the campus southwest of the intersection of U.S. Highway 34 and 65^th Avenue since late spring. Construction is expected to continue throughout 2018. UCHealth officials anticipate the hospital will open in early 2019.

Marilyn Schock, president of UCHealth Greeley Hospital, applauded the work that the crews have done so far and emphasized they are building a legacy that will improve lives in Greeley and Weld County for generations to come.

“When you are old and gray and you get to drive by the hospital, you’ll get to say ‘I helped build that.’ ” she said.

Spanning approximately 200,000 square feet, UCHealth Greeley Hospital will include 53 inpatient beds with room to grow. It will include a birth center, intensive-care unit, operating and endoscopy rooms, a Level III trauma center and an emergency department. The 112,500-square-foot outpatient medical center’s services will include primary-care services, specialty clinics, diagnostics, pharmacy, endoscopy, oncology services, imaging and laboratory services.

More than 1,000 workers will be involved in building the campus. More than 300 permanent jobs will be created when the hospital opens.

JE Dunn is supported by BSA LifeStructures, architect; BHA Design Inc., landscape architect; Affiliated Engineers Inc., mechanical, electrical and plumbing; Martin/Martin, civil engineer; Stewart Engineering, structural engineer; and Gallun Snow, finishing design/finishes.

UCHealth already operates nine hospitals throughout Colorado, including Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland,  Longs Peak Hospital in Longmont and Broomfield Hospital.