Schenectady Medical Imaging made a decision to replace their aging closed MRI with a higher-powered open MRI. They commissioned Hyman Hayes Associates to design the facility. Because of shielding requirements and very low floor-to-floor heights, the new MRI could not be located in the existing space. A new 750-sf MRI addition was designed. To minimize costs, the addition was sized solely to accommodate the MRI unit and associated equipment.

The existing building is three stories high and has a curved corner curtainwall window at the front corner.

The one-story addition was designed to mimic the main building, using the same style and color brick and incorporating curved windows at its corner. The window provides natural light to the scan room and a skylight, in addition to providing natural light, allows a means of bringing the magnet into the building.

In an effort to keep the existing MRI in operation as long as possible, the addition was located so that this unit could be pulled out of a sidewall access panel without interfering with the addition.