The Santa Clara Valley Medical Center campus has a history dating back to 1876 as the first hospital established in the county. In continuous operation for the past 144 years, the campus has continued to grow and evolve to meet the changing needs of the Santa Clara County community. Constructed in the 1960s, the seven-story Old Main building served as the center of the campus for many years. Spurred by the passage of SB 1953 and the ever-growing needs of the community, the 1990s saw the Medical Center begin a process of expansion and building replacement. Starting with the construction of a new main hospital and followed by the Valley Specialty Center and the bed building phase 1 patient tower, the focus of the campus shifted northward.
While the campus was expanding, studies were also undertaken for options to retrofit existing buildings. Through these studies, a challenge surfaced that is not uncommon to highly developed and dense medical campuses. Four buildings converged at the western end of the old main structure sharing egress paths and primary utility services. Unfortunately, the oldest structure (Old Main) was the hub providing egress for the West Wing and ancillary buildings as well as providing utility services to the ancillary buildings. Several different approaches to retrofitting the Old Main building were explored with one being taken all the way through design and OSHPD approval. This would have involved micro piles and underpinning to reinforce the foundation along with extensive interior modernization. Because of rising construction costs, it was determined that this approach was simply not economically feasible, and a new strategy needed to be developed.
Working with Cuschieri Horton Architects, Sandis helped develop a strategy to separate utility services and egress routes from the seismically noncompliant old main structure. This creative approach included the construction of a new stair tower realigning utility services through an adjacent courtyard, adding a basement level egress hallway, and extensive HVAC modifications to provide separate air handling units for the ancillary building. This collaboration was characterized by a willingness to think creatively and step outside of traditional roles to find the best solution. One of the challenges that Sandis addressed was how to access and excavate within a courtyard completely surrounded by active buildings. We collaborated with Swinerton to develop a strategy that included cutting and opening through the narrow portion of an existing building, constructing a temporary bridge to provide additional strength within the floor to support the equipment, and then shoring within the courtyard to allow for excavation.
Sandis retained and oversaw a specialty structural engineer to develop the specific plans for review and approval by OSHPD. With construction completion anticipated by the end of 2020, this project will have successfully unraveled one of the more complex interactions between buildings of different ages on this campus. This has now cleared the way for the removal and eventual replacement of the old main hospital structure with new facilities that will allow the medical center to continue its mission of providing exceptional healthcare for the community.
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Bed Tower
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Specialty Center, San Jose
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Emergency Department Expansion, San Jose
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Infrastructure Project, San Jose
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Fire Water System Survey, San Jose
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Rehabilitation Building Improvements + Services Building Replacement
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Administration Building Demolition Project, San Jose
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Ancillary Building Survey
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Bascom Ave Roadway + Parking Improvements
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Campus Sanitary Sewer Analysis, Santa Clara County
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Clove Drive ADA and Sidewalk Improvements, San Jose
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Enborg Lane Water Line, San Jose
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Ginger Lane Extension Phase 1 & 2, San Jose
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center MEC Interim Trailer, San Jose
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center OPD Demolition Project, San Jose
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Rehabilitation Building Seismic Upgrade, San Jose
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Seismic Safety Peer Review
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Services Building Replacement, San Jose
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Surveying, San Jose