New tower for hospital gets planning nod

The Kalispell Planning Board on Tuesday recommended that the City Council approve a planned unit development including a new surgical tower submitted by Northwest Healthcare for Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Planning Director Tom Jentz said the board held a public hearing then voted unanimously to recommend approval and forward the plan to the Kalispell City Council for a vote on Dec. 6.

Council approval is the final step required for the project budgeted for a little more than $42 million.

“They requested a planned unit development which is an overall development plan for how the hospital expands over the next several years,” Jentz said.

As part of the plan, Northwest Healthcare asked the city for an exemption from the 60-foot height limitation to allow a structure up to 80 feet high in the future.

In the first phase of the hospital plan, an existing building will be expanded into the emergency room parking area as level one, then a second level will be built including eight new operating rooms plus a third-floor shell for 30 future intermediate-care patient rooms.

Phase one reinforces the first floor to support future fourth and fifth floors to address growth as need arises. Jentz said the height exception was recommended as the better alternative between hospital sprawl or building up and using less land.

He said two people testified at the public hearing, raising concerns about the handling of vehicle traffic during construction as well as plans for future parking and pedestrian access. One was concerned about road closure in the construction area.

“No one is proposing closing roads in the area,” Jentz said.

He said testimony raised the need for more convenient parking on the hospital campus and for connecting medical facilities with sidewalks for walking access.

“The hospital developed in an era when the city was not requiring sidewalks,” he said.

Jentz said the planned unit development envisions building two parking garages in the future. He added that the planning department isn’t requiring those structures but the hospital included them to address expected growth.

Although no formal public hearing is scheduled for the Dec. 6 City Council meeting, Jentz said citizens have an opportunity to speak to the plan during citizen comments.

He said hospital officials project expenditures of about $32 million for construction and associated costs.The additional $10 million goes for equipment and furnishings and a second catheterization lab and specialized procedure area.

“It will be a real boost for the economy and a real boost for the medical community,” Jentz said. 

Jim Oliverson, a vice president and hospital spokesman, said the construction schedule calls for starting work in January with completion in February 2012 if the council approves the plan at its December meetings.

He was satisfied with the Planning Board review of Northwest Healthcare’s plan.

“Everything went well and we’re pleased,” Oliverson said.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.