CHARLOTTE, Mich. — Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital thinks outside the box with its new AL!VE facility in Charlotte, Mich.
The 68,000-square-foot, 14-acre health and wellness center held open houses in October and opens to patients in mid-November. The $18.5 million project houses the hospital’s physical therapy unit, as well as lifestyle and fitness components for community use.
“One of the big things about AL!VE and the community is that this was intended to be not just a building, but a catalyst for the community,” said Nashville, Tenn.-based architecture firm JJCA founding partner David Johnson. “And so everything we do we reach out to some other group in the community to kind of leverage the investment we’re making.”
AL!VE sits on land located on a town entryway that previously housed an old abandoned grocery store. “It was kind of an eyesore. It had been vacant for a significant piece of time,” said Johnson.
The first phase of the project features multi-purpose gyms, indoor/outdoor walking paths, social spaces, private treatment rooms, exercise equipment, childcare, social spaces and a café. The next phase starts next spring and includes wellness expansion, a conference center and a youth component.
“It continues to come more alive, so to speak,” said Johnson.
Experience-focused
“This place is based on the premise of experience design,” said Johnson. “Everything is incorporated to create an experience, rather than just provide a service.”
The team studied retailers like Chicago’s American Girl, Bass Pro Shop, Whole Foods and Nike before embarking on the AL!VE project, and the community was involved throughout the planning process.
‘Creationaires’ will develop profiles on members to identify goals and barriers and then create individualize healthy lifestyle plans. Each feature of the facility bears an inspiring name: The ‘Empower’ and ‘Bridge’ components of the facility address outpatient rehab and transitional workout needs, ‘Journey’ provides women’s health services, ‘Relish’ is the name of the demonstration kitchen, etc. ‘Grow’ is part of the next phase and addresses the physical and emotional health of children. It is a three-story space with features ranging from an experiential jungle gym to homework areas.
Although the team will not pursue LEED certification because of the additional cost, it did follow LEED practices, said Johnson.
In addition to reclaiming and reusing the abandoned store building, the site had no stormwater management because of its age so stormwater bioswales were installed. A grant with a state agency and a not-for-profit group provided funds to turn about five acres of the site into a wildlife habitat with native vegetation and a native plant mix. AL!VE also upgraded all the insulation in the envelope and used repurposed materials, such as old barn siding from demolished barns, and some of interior finishes feature recycled content, such as the cork flooring.
Funding is the main challenge presented to the developers. Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital committed to over half the $18 million and the remainder is being raised in the community and through private donations. Two hospitals in nearby Lansing, Mich., made major financial gifts to the center, and 80 founders gifts have been received.
“In this economy, particularly in Michigan, trying to raise private dollars in this small community, it’s been one of the charges from the beginning,” said Johnson.
Brentwood, Tenn.-based SouthLand Constructors LLC is the contractor for the project. SouthLand Constructors is a mid-sized commercial builder specializing in both new construction and interior build-outs. More than 150 temporary construction jobs will be created for the AL!VE project and about 30 new jobs will be created to operate the facility.
Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital is a non-profit, general medical and surgical hospital with 25 beds. Last year, the facility had 866 admissions,133,250 outpatient visits and 13,900 emergency room visits.