ALBUQUERQUE – April 13, 2017 – Lovelace Health System has announced Lovelace Medical Group Independence Square, a new two-story, 43,200 sq ft clinic at 6701 Jefferson St NE, will open for patients on April 17.
As a state-of-the-art primary care office, the new building’s design will provide for a collaborative, team-based care approach, while ensuring efficient operations. Furthermore, the design is focused on ensuring an outstanding patient experience in a modern, environmentally conscious and comfortable space.
“The Independence Square clinic provides a friendly and inviting space that makes patients feel comfortable in an environment that could otherwise be stressful or sterile-feeling,” said John Cruickshank, D.O., CEO of Lovelace Medical Group. “This new clinic represents our latest approach to providing the best possible health care to our patient constituency, with design choices made based on the latest best practices in health care design focused around the wellbeing of both patients and staff. We are very pleased to be offering care in this new space, and are excited at the technological possibilities that the new clinic can provide.”
According to Dekker Perich Sabatini, the firm that provided the architectural design, the new building incorporates eco-friendly approaches, with a focus on sustainability and sensitivity to the environment.
The building itself is accessible by public transportation and bicycle trails, with 16 bicycle spaces provided. The space is handicap accessible, including the building and amenities, with 14 handicap parking spaces. As with all Lovelace facilities, the campus is tobacco free. The design includes CRI Green Label Plus carpeting that is cradle-to-cradle certified and made of 42 percent pre-consumer recycled products. The vinyl flooring is also Floor Score Certified and Green Label Plus Certified, with low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. The paint and casework are also low-VOC emission.
Water usage was a large consideration of the building’s design, and the southwestern landscaping outside uses a drip system and timer to keep usage low. The site’s water will drain to the “first flush” detention pond, which helps clean the water before it enters the City’s arroyo system. Low-flow fixtures and water bottle filling stations also add to the building’s commitment to the sustainable use of Albuquerque’s water.
In terms of energy usage, the space uses natural daylight and scenic views both to enhance the comfort of the area and to cut down on the need for electricity. 320 roof-mounted photovoltaic panels can produce up to 100 Kw per hour of power for the building, with screens set up in two public areas that will monitor the electrical usage of the building. The lighting design includes LED fixtures and occupancy sensors that will turn off lights when rooms are not in use. Low E glass throughout the building controls radiant heat, keeping cooling costs low. The mechanical system includes an energy recovery water source heat pump system that helps control the temperature of the air in the building and reduces the need for water heating.
The Independence Square facility positions the group for growth with 100 exam rooms and space to accommodate up to 40 providers. The providers and nearly 100 staff members who previously practiced at the Northside clinic at 6100 Pan American Fwy NE have moved to the new Independence Square facility, including the Diabetes and Metabolism Care Clinic, endocrinology, family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics and podiatry. Lovelace Medical Group neurology moved to the new Lovelace Neurosciences Center at 500 Walter St NE, Suite 401 in early March.
Dan Newman, Debbie Dupes and Chris Valocchi of CBRE acted as the representative realtors on the project. Development was done by Jeff Jesionowski of Aim Management and Scott Throckmorton of Argus Investment Realty. Construction was provided by general contractor HB Construction. Lillibridge Healthcare Services, Inc. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Ventas) provided planning, design and construction advisory services to the Lovelace Health System team on behalf of the Ardent Health Services-Ventas partnership.
Press Release