Architects working on FVCC health center design

Architects have produced preliminary designs for Flathead Valley Community College’s $5 million Rebecca Chaney Broussard Nursing and Health Sciences Center.

The designs were presented to the board of trustees on Tuesday.

College President Jane Karas introduced Corey Johnson of CTA Architects, who said the firm has produced about 50 percent of the construction documents.

“At four and a half months to be at 50 percent is a pretty good clip,” he said. “We are right on target to hit a summer construction schedule.”

Johnson said the schedule calls for going to bid in mid-April and awarding a construction contract in mid-May.

David Koel, senior design architect, went over preliminary drawings of exterior and interior features. He said the firm began by identifying unifying elements of campus buildings as concrete, metal and glass along with maroon colors.

Koel said the architects worked to create a “really nice appearance” that a major donation building requires while making it blend in with the other buildings on campus such as the nearby Arts and Technology building. His exterior design uses concrete columns, metal and a lot of glass for a modernistic look for the 30,000 square-foot, one-level building.

The project is largely funded by a $4 million gift — the largest in the college’s history — from the Broussard family. The family made the gift as a memorial to the late Rebecca Broussard, who was formerly a nurse and deeply committed to education.

They gave the donation with the proviso that the community give an additional $1 million for the center that will house allied health programs as well as a student health clinic. Karas said the match fund has now reached $610,000.

The college chose an area on the south end of the original campus buildings. Karas said earlier that it may displace some parking.

“It’s a real simple palette of materials in here,” Koel said of the interior design.

Responding to a question from trustee Tom Harding, the architects described the glass wall as a storefront system with good thermal qualities and radiant fin tubes under each pane of glass, keeping it washed with warm air.

“Typically, the system is pretty well sealed,” Koel said.  

He said the interior of the building features a U-shaped main corridor and two secondary corridors for good circulation and economy. The nursing lab has a mock nursing station and eight patient beds with simulated high-tech models of men and women patients for students to practice their skills.

Koel said they worked with each of the allied health staffs in developing their areas that include nursing, paramedic and EMT, surgical technology, physical therapy assistants and medical assistant programs. He said their concerns were addressed in the designs.

The student health center design is in the formative phase.

“We’re working with FVCC and KRMC [Kalispell Regional Medical Center] on the final design,” Koel said.

In response to trustee Tom McElwain, the architects said the project remains on budget. They said construction labor remains economical, adding that the firm has received many calls from interested contractors.

Materials using copper or oil-based products have spiked but most have increased one percent or less.

Trustee Mark Holston asked the architects which parts of the design they considered the most “environmentally sensitive.”

They responded that the mechanical system had a high level of efficiency, providing energy efficiency and ease of service.

The system and design take maximum advantage of natural light through skylights and glass.