Ground-breaking of new hospital could be in October

Five signatures during a meeting at the end of July moved the much-awaited Valencia County Hospital project forward.

At the July 30 Valencia County Commission meeting, members of the project’s design/build team, Art Tatum, president of FBT Architects, and Tyler Nunn, vice president and senior project manager with Bradbury Stamm, presented the site plan and floor plan for the hospital to the commissioners.

The commissioners unanimously approved the site plan and floor plans that evening.

The planned 40,000-square foot, single-story facility will be located at the northeast corner of Main Street (N.M. 6) and Sand Sage Road in the village of Los Lunas, Tatum said. The property is west of Interstate 25 and southeast of the Los Lunas Fire Station 2 on Sand Sage Road.

The emergency department entrance and ambulance drop off will be on the northwest side of the site. A helipad will be located north of the emergency department, with staff parking to the northeast.

The site plan includes space to expand the inpatient rooms and surgical areas in the future, as well as plans for a 24,000-square foot, two-story medical office building on the northeast corner of the site.

The current floor plan includes 11 inpatient rooms in the first phase, with four more in the second phase, an imaging department, pharmacy, labs, surgical services and two endoscopy suites — with room for two additional operating rooms if needed in the future — a critical care unit, as well as an area for diagnostics and therapy.

The hospital will include space for administration and support services, such as nutrition and maintenance.

Nunn said his team was “excited to get shovels in the ground,” and estimated construction would begin some time in October.

Site preparation is happening now, including any studies and investigations needed on the property, and basic dirt work. Once construction begins, Nunn estimates a build time of 18 to 19 months.

“We will be able to fine tune that schedule once the design phase is completed,” Nunn said.

The total cost of the project is estimated at $40 million. County attorney Adren Nance clarified the mill levy funds collected by the county cannot be used for construction. As of the close of the fiscal year on June 30, the county had $27,352,978 collected from the mill levy for operation and maintenance of a hospital.

Valencia County Commission Chairman Gerard Saiz said the amount of work put in by Bradbury Stamm and FBT so far was “greatly appreciated. We look forward to continuing that partnership.

“This is a milestone that wouldn’t be possible without previous commissions and the legal team. They made it happen with the governor’s office and securing the appropriation. There were a lot of players involved and it’s important to recognize that it’s not just this commission. I want to extend our gratitude to previous commissions and previous staff.”

In April, the commissioners voted 4-0 to award a health care facilities contract to Brazos — the joint venture between Texas-based Community Healthcare Corporation and Albuquerque’s Lovelace Health System — for the operation of a Valencia County hospital.

To get to this point, the village of Los Lunas Planning and Zoning Commission and Village Council also had roles in the project.

On July 3, the village planning and zoning commissioners approved a preliminary plat for the site, which allows the developer to proceed with additional due diligence before construction begins, said Alex Ochoa, Los Lunas community development director.

“This step is also necessary when any right-of-way or infrastructure is intended to be dedicated to the village for maintenance,” Ochoa said. “In this case, Palmilla Road north of (the) Maverick (gas station) needs to be extended.”

At the same meeting, village staff proposed an amendment to the zoning code to remove the requirement for a conditional use permit and allow a hospitals outright within an M-1 (manufacturing) zone. Hospitals are now permitted uses in M-1 and special use zones.

According to the amended zoning, the use of a hospital is consistent in nature, size and intensity with other uses that are permissible in M-1 zoning.

The village zoning ordinances didn’t have parking requirements specifically for hospitals, major medical clinics and other major medical facilities of more than 10,000-square feet, so it was recommended to amend the ordinance to require one parking space per 300-square feet of gross floor are in such a facility, Ochoa said.

Both ordinance amendments were presented to the village council at its July 11 meeting and approved.

A final plat application has been submitted to the village, Ochoa said, which will be reviewed and decided on by the village council at its Sept. 12 meeting. If the final plat is approved, the lots will become legal and building permit applications can be submitted to the village.