This project is an expansion for San Antonio Community Hospital into the Kaiser dominated Fontana region. The hospital is leasing space in the Sierra San Antonio Medical Plaza to accommodate urgent care, laboratory, radiology, and pharmacy services along with physician offices. Ensemble worked hand-in-hand with the hospital on the feasibility and physician need assessment to carefully determine the ideal site, size, and practice mix for the building.
The Sierra San Antonio Medical Plaza includes approximately 60,000 SF in an L-shaped, split-level building with two stories on one end and three on the other. The unique, Mediterranean-style architecture allows it to stand out among the surrounding residential and commercial projects in the area. Frontage for the medical plaza is along Highway 290, one mile east of Interstate 15 interchange.
Challenges
The initial program for the project came from the San Antonio Community Hospital. Ensemble worked with the Hospital, architect, and contractor to refine the design. Because of the escalation of building material costs at the time of construction, this project was re-designed from typical steel frame and stucco finish to Tilt-Up concrete construction. The architectural theme was preserved and was unanimously approved by the City of Fontana’s strict Design Review Board.
Solutions
The redesign from steel frame to Tilt-Up concrete not only saved in construction costs, but also quickened construction time. The facility opened to incredible support all the way from the Mayor of Fontana to the local residential community. Construction of the project commenced in February 2005 and the first tenants’ build-outs were completed in January 2006.