Lancaster General Hospital's plan to add a fourth floor to its three-story emergency department wing was approved Monday by the city's Historical Commission.
The renovation will add a fourth floor to LGH's emergency department wing.
The new floor will add 6,500 square feet of space and will enable the hospital to expand its laboratory services, said Joe Puskar, LGH's vice president of customer support services.
According to LGH spokesman Kim Payne, the hospital's laboratory space has remained the same even though LGH has significantly increased its laboratory testing volume in the past several years, from 2.2 million procedures in 2004 to 3.5 million procedures in 2008.
Payne said the expansion, coupled with a redesign of old laboratory facilities, will expand lab space from 22,000 square feet to 35,000 square feet. He said the entire project, including the purchase of new equipment, will cost $12 million.
Payne said the addition, which will improve the hospital's overall testing efficiency while installing "new, industry-leading technology," is the first phase of a three-year renovation project that "represents another example of Lancaster General reinvesting its surplus back into the health and well-being of the community."
In his presentation to the Historical Commission, Steven Breslin, representing RTKL Architects, told the commission the current structure "was originally designed to hold a fourth floor. This is an opportunity to finish the building."
The design will replicate the same materials already used in the emergency department addition.
In her review of the project, city historic preservation specialist Suzanne Stallings said, "The proposed addition will extend the existing building vertically but will not expand its footprint, and will have limited impact at street level."
City Council will act on the commission's recommendation at its Tuesday, Aug. 26, meeting.
Chip Smedley is a staff writer for the Sunday News. E-mail him at csmedley@lnpnews.com.
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