Family Care Center The turret of the new Family Care Center provides the architectural interest and the physicians and staff provide the care and service. The new John F. Andrews Family Care Center is scheduled to be in move-in condition by March 1. (Photo Lisa Kristoff)

Construction on the new John F. Andrews Family Care Center began in mid-June and the structure is well on its way to completion.

Physicians and health professionals currently seeing patients at the center are due to begin moving into the new digs on March 1, 2008.

The 19,060 square-foot building, designed by Lavallee/Brensinger Architects, will satisfy both the current and future needs of the healthcare facility.

Lavallee/Brensinger were the architects for the first floor renovation and drew up the hospital's master plan in 1999.

"It has been a long time coming," said St. Andrews Hospital and Healthcare Center CEO Peggy Pinkham. "We should have done it when we had the addition to the hospital completed, but we just couldn't afford to do both then. It is very exciting and we are looking forward to our physicians having adequate space for their practices."

Ron Vachon, Director of Facilities Management, went on a "snapshot tour." He took photos of the older, traditional summer cottages and year-round homes in the region - particularly at Signal Point and McKown Point.

"This is an 80'x120' building and we didn't want to make it look like the hospital," Vachon said. "We wanted it to reflect the area."

"The turret on the front adds a lighthouse look to the building," said Lavallee/Brensinger architect Jeff Gavin. "A physical analogy between the light sent forth from a lighthouse and the lights of the hospital campus always on, always there and a presence within the community."

The design draws in natural light in virtually every space through windows and well-placed skylights.

The physical and mental benefit of exposure to natural light for the physicians and their staff was an important consideration when designing the new center.

A pallete of soothing color combinations in light brown, green and blue shades and radiant heat all produce a warm, comfortable environment.

And now, the tour! The second floor is reached through the front door and will be the new home for the physicians based at the family care center: Dr. Andre Benoit, Dr. Alan Barker, Dr. Aquiliano Alamo, and newcomer Dr. Sheila Alas; FNP-C (nurse practitioner) Anne Barker rounds out the providers.

Behavioral health providers Tammy Blackman, LCSW and Stephanie Field, LCSW will have office space on this floor.

Each of these physicians will have an office and two exam rooms. There are two treatment rooms, a private consult room, a blood draw room, the women's health area and a library.

The first floor will be the location for the practices of Dr. Garth Miller and pediatrician Dr. Steve Feder who will be phasing out of his location on Townsend Avenue by September of 2008.

A cancer infusion area that can accommodate two patients at a time also features an outdoor patio for patients.

The 28'x28' conference room accommodates 35. This space will be utilized for continuing staff education, conferences, and board meetings in-house. The space will also be available for the current AA meetings and monthly Community Link meeting.

"It will be very state-of-the-art," said Gary "Dutch" Huyser of P. Cummings Construction. "There will be a drop-down screen and audio/visual projector."

Office space on this floor will be used by the specialists with privileges at St. Andrews that will be seeing patients at the new center are Doctors Stephen Katz - orthopedics, Elizabeth Connelly - oncology, Frederick Poulin - cardiology, and Peter Bridgemann - neurology.

Both floors have nurses' stations - plenty of places to ask questions and get answers.

Once the move is made to the new center, the current center and house where Miller's practice is now located will be torn down and replaced by parking lots. Vachon said they plan on having 141 spaces when the new lots are finished.

"The building is meeting all new standards for insulation, computer controlled heat and the windows are all energy efficient," Vachon said. "Patients will notice right away that we have put a lot of thought into the floor plans."

As soon as the landscaping is completed in June, a grand opening is planned at a date to be announced next summer.