Crews tear down part of West Valley hospital, making way for progress
May 21, 2019, 4:55 AM | Updated: 6:08 pm
SUN CITY, Ariz. — Piles of old, broken concrete and twisted rebar lie on the ground in Sun City, marking signs of progress.
Banner Boswell Medical Center’s CEO led some of the demolition.
“I had fun getting on that bulldozer and taking the first bite out of the concrete,” Debbie Flores said.
The building McCarthy Building Companies tore down stood for almost 50 years.
“This was originally the drop-off for walk-up traffic for the emergency department as well as ambulance,” said Chris Jacobson, McCarthy vice president and project overseer.
Next to it sat a two-story parking garage, ambulance drop-off and helipad. All of that’s gone so a six-story patient tower and emergency room that can handle 60,000 patients a year can take its place.
Every patient room will be private.
“There’s a big infection-control issue,” Flores said. “We want to make sure our patients stay safe. We will be able to provide state-of-the-art equipment and technology.”
The $106 million project — 300,000 square feet in size — should finish late next year.
Out with the old! @BannerHealth Boswell knocking down 2-story parking structure to make way for state of the art emergency room that will open next year. Details LIVE at 11am @KTAR923 pic.twitter.com/Nvdn6rW3gL
— Peter Samore (@ktarpetersamore) May 20, 2019
“Manpower on the job will be right around 250 people when we get to peak later in the year,” Jacobson said. “We’ll be starting foundations and steel this summer.”