By Deon Roberts, Online Editor
Ever since Hurricane Katrina, it seems, there’s been a debate about whether storm-damaged Charity Hospital should be reopened as a hospital.
Some say the building is fine and all it needs is some work. Others say the building is out-of-date; they prefer building a more state-of-the-art facility.
Today, a team of architects said it would be cheaper and faster to just fix up the building than build a new hospital. A study by New York-based architecture firm RMJM Hillier says the facility can be renovated for $484 million. The cost of new construction, according to RMJM: $620 million.
Even if the facility ultimately does not get renovated and put back into use as a hospital, what should the art deco landmark become? Should it be condos? A museum? A concert hall?•
5 responses so far ↓
Wendy King // Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 4:14 pm |
I think it should be returned to use as a hospital. There is much that needs to be done in this regard: asbestos removal/abatement, replacing outdated wiring, to bring the building’s wiring up to code, and cleaning/repairing/replacing equipment that has been sitting in the hospital for three years. The HVAC machinery and the pumps in the basement need to be replaced, and the walls and ceilings need to be cleared of mold. The teams which went inside the hospital right after Katrina started on these tasks before LSUHSC ordered them out (without going to the Legislature, in violation of state laws re the hospital’s operation), and then closed up the hospital. Much of “Big Charity’s” long-standing neglect is because it was kept (barely) to hospital accreditation standards. Its design, which echoes the Capitol in Baton Rouge, does not easily lend itself to constant updating of wiring, and its reputation as one of the nation’s top Level 1 trauma centers, is because it was always busy, bringing in, and treating, victims from car accidents, stabbings, gunshots, drug overdoses, and other hazards. It is, or was, the top training facility for both Tulane and LSU residents and med students. Imagine trying to close off parts of this hospital, in order to upgrade the wiring, remove asbestos, replace outdated pipes and sewerage, and all the other maintenance tasks that were never done when the hospital was open.
In the last three years, area hospitals have absorbed those Charity patients who returned, and are uninsured. Because these hospitals don’t get reimbursed for these patients, they absorb the costs of taking care of them, and find it harder to take care of the paying patients, who either pay outright, or who are insured. Many uninsured patients also use the emergency room, because they don’t have primary care doctors, or have conditions that have progressed from treatable by a doctor, and were left untreated, to life-threatening.
Keeping Charity closed has put an enormous strain on our city’s and region’s remaining hospitals, many of which don’t have emergency room doctors and medical staff trained to deal with the kinds of patients that Charity Hospital doctors and medical staff took care of . These patients included HIV/AIDS patients using the hospital’s walk-in clinic, untreated diabetics, mentally ill people brought there by NOPD officers, and all manner of people, not just poor people, but regular people who got into accidents, and needed help.
M Butler // Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 4:18 pm |
Pre-Katrina, Health care was the number three economic provider or industry in New Orleans. The result of a mega-complex of health care institutions would have far-reaching economic implications for the area as well as provide the quintessential health care that is required by a first class city. The area needs the doctors, nurses, aides and workers to diversify our tourism and ship-building economy. We need all of our former health care institutions to reach this level, along with the new VA complex.
Jim Rogers // Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 4:20 pm |
Would make sense to renovate existing Charity Hospital facility. Same for State buying New Orleans Centre and moving into that building for their New Orleans offices rather build a new building at todays construction costs.
Ken // Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 5:12 pm |
While having the chance, the momentum, and with monies available, we should take the chance to leap-frog our old healthcare facilities to bring it up to par with other well-known, well-respected medical centers. Comparing the two scenarios of state of the art or a rehabed building from another century, how could anyone be partial to the old charity. Then compare what we offer vs what a city such as Houston offers. Then consider the opportunities we would squander if we look back. The idea of saving old charity represents antiquated ideas. When it comes to saving part of history in NOLA, I agree with preserving our history and culture. But we need to be real here and embrace some of the ‘new’, things other cities can often brag about. Imagine a prestigious physician making a decision to ally himself and his career with old charity or an up-to-date medical center in Dallas. I work in healthcare and would NEVER work in that building, even remodeled. I hope cooler, smarter heads prevail. Those who cling to the notion of remodeling Charity baffle me.
c.trent // Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 3:48 pm |
time to move forward and get the new hospital off the ground. old charity is a very nice deco building that served us well for many years, however we must be progressive and move forward, just as healthcare has.
we cannot allow ourselves to get caught up in the romantic ideal that this building can serve the future as well as brand new construction!