A new parking structure for the Borgess Medical Center is just what the doctor ordered. Part one of the Medical Center's three part $76.9 million renovation plan provides a new 943 space structure on the former Stryker Center location. The unique structure will provide direct access from the garage to an atrium that houses reception, patient registration, in-patient elevators and a new pharmacy. Each floor will have access to a completely enclosed bridge which serves as the passageway between the parking structure and the Medical Center.

The Borgess Medical Center is part of Borgess Health Alliance which consists of nine owned or affiliated community hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, physicians practices, home health care, nursing home and several other associated facilities. Borgess Health Alliance is a member of Ascension Health, the country's largest Catholic health system, which includes 75 health care facilities.

The garage's 13'-6" floor to floor height and numerous barrier free (handicap) parking spaces reflect the garage's primary goal of providing convenient and accessible parking to its' patrons. The 8'-2" minimum clearance allows full size handicap vans easy access to all parts of the structure, especially the connecting bridge.

The interior framing system consists of a single interior row utilizing vertical lite walls, inverted tee beams and narrow L beams to support the pretopped D.T. floor system. A crossover exists at each floor as the result of careful interior framing of the scissor ramps. The lite walls with openings and the beam framing system provide the "wide open" atmosphere that so many health care facility owners desire in their parking structures.

The exterior framing system uses pocketed loadbearing architectural spandrels which have a brilliant Borgess blue tile surrounded by thin tile bricks framed with an acid etched precast concrete border. The two main entrances to the garage are highlighted by architectural panels, these panels also serve as the structural shear walls. Arched precast panels also accentuate the two main entrances, as well as four other entry/exit locations. The arches provide a nice contrast to the long, linear look that this large structure delivers.

The project is currently under construction and will open this fall. Nucon-Schokbeton of Kalamazoo, MI is the precaster supplying the high quality architectural products. Several other plants are supplying the structural components. The owner is the Borgess Medical Center also of Kalamazoo, MI.