PMC selects hospital’s contractor

MEEKER I The Pioneers Medical Center Board of Directors has selected Haselden Construction as general contractor to build the medical center replacement facility.
“We are excited about the decision,” said Paul Sheridan, Pioneers board chairman. “Haselden is the whole package. They have great medical facility experience, they have worked in a variety of similar climates and they are a Colorado-based firm.”
In March, Pioneers posted a request for qualifications and had 10 firms submit packages.
Those proposals were reviewed and scored based on the firm’s experience building critical-access hospitals, rural clinics and experience building in climates similar to Meeker as well as the overall experience of the proposed team that would work on the project.
From those 10, six were asked to submit full proposals and cost estimates. During this round, costs, project schedule, team talent and subcontractor information were the driving decision makers, Sheridan said.
Three companies were selected to give in-person interviews, Haselden Construction, Robins & Morton and Layton Construction. On May 2, these three teams were interviewed by the Pioneers selection committee.
“All three companies gave great presentations,” said Terry Goedert, Pioneers board member. “But, Haselden was the strongest. They have worked on more than 14 Colorado healthcare construction projects. The selection committee was impressed with Haselden’s philosophy to involve the community and local businesses in the building process as well as the fact that the team building the new healthcare facility has Western Slope connections.”
“I could not be more thrilled to work on this particular project,” says Eric Blanke, the director of Healthcare Construction-Haselden who is also a Meeker High School graduate.
“Meeker is my home, as well as home to my parents and many good friends,” Blanke said. “This project will be one of the most personal and important projects I will do.”
In January, Pioneers selected the Meeker Terrace property, across from Samuelson’s True Value as the new hospital location. This site was selected for its stable soils, affordable building costs and because the overall lot size gave Pioneers more than 20 buildable acres, a hospital press release stated. The almost 50-acre lot was donated by the Meeker Terrace Group.
Pioneers has begun work with CDOT and the Town of Meeker for highway access to the property, the release stated.
Pioneers is part of a coalition of area entities that has applied to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs for consideration of a grant to help facilitate the implementation of the necessary utility infrastructure to the Curtis Creek area and then on to County Road 15.
The coalition hopes that this will help Meeker to have “shovel-ready” properties and spur some economic development opportunities, the release stated.
In March, Davis Partnership, LLC was selected as the architect on the project. They have been meeting with all PMC staff and board members about spacing and logistics to run the daily operations of the hospital, clinic and nursing home. Davis will present design recommendation during the May Pioneers board meeting.
Because of changing technology, healthcare delivery methods and changing patient needs, the current medical facility, located at 345 Cleveland, is no longer adequate to support the efficient delivery of care that Pioneers is committed to offering.
Pioneers’ current facility concerns are: Failing interior infrastructure of the 60-plus year-old medical facility. The current facility cannot be remodeled and continue existing patient care; patient rooms are not handicap accessible; healthcare technology and regulations have changed; and Pioneers needs to transform the facility to meet patient expectations and current healthcare delivery methods.
Pioneers is proud to have increased patient care and services while putting in place a savings plan that will allow Pioneers to finance the new building through cash reserves, grants, donations and private financing.
Pioneers Medical Center is governed by the board of directors of the Eastern Rio Blanco County Health Services District, d/b/a Pioneers Medical Center. Board members are elected by the residents of eastern Rio Blanco County and include Paul Sheridan, Todd Young, Diane Dunham, Mike Hoke, Rich Ellsworth, Steve Parr and Terry Goedert.