WRMC Continues to Add to New Facility

As it turns out, the new $89 million, 345,000-SF Washington Regional Medical Center was just the tip of the construction iceberg for the Fayetteville-based hospital.

Having moved into its 233-bed, state-of-the-art facility on Aug. 27, WRMC is already adding on. WRMC opened in 1950 as Washington County Hospital at its previous address on the corner of College Avenue and North Street. But nine months after moving to the new location at North Hills Medical Park, WRMC shows no signs of a slowdown in growth.

It recently completed a large addition to its parking lot. And on May 20, construction began on a 30,000-SF medical office and laboratory just south of the hospital’s main entrance and adjacent to the entrance of the Walker Family Heart & Vascular Institute.

The two-story building, expected to be completed in just over nine months, will connect to the Walker Institute by a skywalk. The skywalk will allow the WRMC staff to quickly deal with any emergencies that may arise by moving patients to the necessary area faster.

“This will augment our already wonderful facilities,” said Steve Lampkin, president and CEO of WRMC. “It’s just one more piece of concrete evidence of the commitment we have in taking care of the people of Northwest Arkansas.”

Lampkin was joined at the groundbreaking ceremonies by Pat Walker, WRMC officials and physicians and many others.

“We will be forever indebted to Pat and Willard Walker for all of their contributions,” Lampkin said.

The first floor will be occupied by physicians of the Northwest Arkansas Heart and Vascular Center, while the hospital lab will take up the majority of the second floor.

Mike McLean, vice president of network/business development, said the cost of the core and shell of the new facility will be about $2.6 million. Tenant finish-out will vary. However, Lampkin said the entire project would be “over $5 million.”

Baldwin & Shell Construction Co. of Rogers is the general contractor on the project. Cromwell Architects Engineers of Fayetteville is the architectural firm and USInfrastructure Inc. of Springdale is the engineering firm.

The new facility is particularly appreciated by the staff of the NWA Heart and Vascular Center, which McLean said was “really crowded” at its Sunbridge Center location. In the new building, physicians will have instant access from their offices to the emergency room, cardiac catheterization lab and coronary care facility.

“Our goal is to excel in the delivery of cardiovascular care,” said Dr. Ted Fish, a cardiologist and president of the Northwest Arkansas Heart and Vascular Center.

Richard Atkinson, chairman of the board at WRMC, also praised the Walkers for their contributions.

“[The Walker family] has touched this state in so many ways,” Atkinson said.

Atkinson also said that the new facility will aid in national research at WRMC.

“With the talent and imagination and commitment this group of physicians has shown, we will be participating in national research,” Atkinson said.

The building will take up part of an existing parking lot, but Atkinson said the 92 parking spaces that will be removed are to be replaced at another location on the WRMC campus.

APAC-Arkansas/McClinton Anchor Division completed the parking lot addition on the north side of the campus in May. That added 200 parking spaces.

WRMC has about 1,000 employees at its main facility.