Saratoga Hospital's surgical demand was increasing at such a rapid rate that they were in danger of not having enough capacity and could not wait for long-term plans to increase capacity. The hospital administration asked Hyman Hayes Associates to investigate adding an operating room (OR) either in the existing OR suite or to convert an existing minor surgery room to an OR.

We reviewed alternatives and determined the best option was to expand the OR suite footprint by constructing an addition over an adjacent one-story wing of the hospital, which contained the emergency department and lab.

As part of the planning for the new OR, the existing hospital structure was analyzed. We determined that three existing structural bays constructed with a structural concrete slab for a roof could support an additional floor. Some modifications to the columns and beams on the first floor and columns and footings in the basement were required to support the additional loading.

Due to the complexities of keeping the OR and laboratory operational, together with the complexities of the structural changes, the $490,000 project required an unusual degree of coordination and close working relationships among the hospital, contractor, architect, and engineer.