ETMC Athens Since East Texas Medical Center in Athens began its $32.4 million expansion project last year, plenty has been accomplished, though much of it isn’t readily visible.

“The bulk of what’s happened to date has been underground,” said Steve Lowe, director of engineering and safety at ETMC Athens. “They have installed all the underground plumbing works and all the foundational elements, and they’re starting to pour the concrete floor.”

A retaining wall has also been built on the west side of the building, which will serve as a basement wall.

The two-year project will be completed in a series of phases as the southwest corner of the hospital is expanded with a 55,600-square-foot wraparound. Twelve-thousand square feet of existing space will be remodeled.

While the substantial underground work may not be eye-catching, the massive stationary crane on site certainly is obvious. The hook of the crane stands 89 feet off the ground.

At a maximum reach of 246 feet, the crane is able to lift a load of up to 6,170 pounds. With the load next to the base of the crane, it has a lift capacity of up to 25,000 pounds.

“The reach of the boom is important because, at some point, it must be able to reach across the existing building,” Administrator Pat Wallace said.

The project is expected to be complete by the fourth quarter of 2011.

“We’re very excited that after so many years, this expansion is finally coming to fruition,” Wallace said. “This hospital wowed people when it opened in 1986, and we believe what we’re adding here will wow them all over again.”

The expanded portion of the hospital will have required 100 tons of rebar, 6,745 cubic yards of concrete and 14,777 square feet of exterior glazed glass. In addition, the project requires 108,500 feet of conduit, 91 miles of wire and 32 tons of copper.

The first task in the project is to complete the new emergency department, set to open this time next year. The new ER will include 22 exam rooms. Outside the ER, a multi-lane canopy will provide shelter for two ambulances and from six to eight cars at a time.

Occupying the corner of the new space will be the intensive care unit, which will have two more patient beds than its current eight.

The third department to occupy the new space will be surgery, which will include a new prep-and-hold area, five operating rooms (up from three), a recovery area and day surgery space.

Once the ICU is relocated into the new space, the OB department will expand its footprint to include the area now occupied by the ICU. The department currently has one LDRP room.

All the existing postpartum rooms will be refurbished. The radiology department will also expand.