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YEAR IN REVIEW: Rideout tower proceeds
As we get closer to the end of 2012, it's time to look back at what made news in the Appeal-Democrat over the past year. Beginning Saturday and running through 10 days, we are running stories — in chronological order — on each of our selections for the top 10 stories of 2012.
Disagree with our choices? You can go to the A-D website at www.appealdemocrat .com and vote for your own top 10 stories from among 20 choices or add your own. We will print the results on Jan. 1.
Anyone driving over the 10th Street Bridge can't help but notice the big change to Marysville's skyline in the form of a new tower rising at Rideout Regional Medical Center.
For much of the year, progress was visible toward reaching the full six stories, the largest new construction in the city since the Caltrans office opened in 2008.
Direct Project Manager Nathan Ramirez said while noticeable activity from outside has lessened more recently, observers will notice a lot of changes again early next year.
"In the next few months, you're going to see the skin going up," he said, referring to the actual walls for the structural steel and foundation in their final phases of construction. "From the outside looking in, things were happening fairly quickly for a while there, and then for a time, you don't see things going on from a distance."
The new year will see more work on the tower's "guts," too, with new electrical and plumbing work being put in. Less visible site work will also come in 2013, Ramirez said.
After breaking ground in March, the 215,000-square-foot tower — is still on schedule to be completed and ready for occupation by the end of 2014.
"Of course, we know with winter being here it'll throw a couple curveballs at us," Ramirez said.
Once finished, the hospital will have an expanded emergency department, maternity unit and nursery, new acute and critical care rooms, and a rooftop pad for medical helicopters, which now fly to Chico, Roseville or Sacramento after responding to an emergency.
The new tower is not the only change for Rideout, which formally changed its name in 2012 from Fremont-Rideout Health Group to Rideout Health, and continued work this year expanding its cancer center in Marysville next door to Rideout Regional Medical Center.
The $225 million Rideout project is also viewed by Marysville city officials as a key part of a recently unveiled plan for improving the economic viability of the city.
Envisioned to revolve around the expanded Rideout campus would be a "medical arts" district including respite care and spa, assisted living and retirement homes, medical research and pharmacology-related businesses.
The report also mentions the possibility of "higher-end residential construction" taking place in the vicinity of the hospital.
CONTACT Ben van der Meer at bvandermeer@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4786.
