OSU Medical Center Reveals New Plans for Parking
TODAY’S LOOK: The downtown Tulsa hospital acquired its current steel and concrete garage from Southwest Airlines in 1976, importing the superstructure from Dallas’ Love Field after years of use at that location.
Medical Center released plans in May for a three-story parking deck carved into the hillside of downtown Tulsa. Jan Slater says they expect to spend $9.7 million on the structure she calls long overdue.
The 249-bed downtown Tulsa hospital acquired its current steel and concrete garage from Southwest Airlines in 1976, importing the superstructure from Dallas’ Love Field after years of use at that location.
“Not only is more parking space needed, the revitalizations to our parking garage and surrounding parking area will renew both our image and campus, benefiting our corner of downtown Tulsa,” says Slater. “We are and always have been proud to be located in the heart of downtown Tulsa. We look forward to sharing our aesthetic improvements with our surrounding neighbors, those who drive by, and with our OSUMC family as well. This external change will be the first transformative improvement to the campus that anyone who drives by will see.”
Although the garage’s steel superstructure remains in good shape, Slater says the worn concrete must be replaced and parking expanded. So, the Medical Center Trust decided the most cost-effective plan was to take down the old garage and build a new one connected to the 1,000-employee hospital’s east entrance. “OSUMC may draw a financial blessing, utilizing the steel from the garage. Options of what to do with the structure are being considered,” says Slater.
The parking plan provides Medical Center with 1,040 spaces including those within the new garage as well as some surface spaces. The entire project will take more than a year. Its start awaits relocation of a 30-inch Tulsa City water line, an effort Slater hopes will evolve into relocation or burial of other utility lines serving that area. Slater is appreciative of Mayor Bartlett and the City of Tulsa for assisting with the relocation of the water line, which will permit the parking plan to move forward.
Slater says the hospital handles 45,000 emergency room visits, around 7,000 inpatient visits and 23,000 outpatient visits annually. OSUMC has 16 post-graduate programs that train more than 140 residents each year in both primary care and sub-specialty areas.
“We have residents coming and going every day who need to park their vehicles. Improving the parking for those we serve and for our own employees and those we train is paramount. We are pleased that our improvements will beautify not only our campus but a special and historic corner of downtown Tulsa,” she adds.
Financial contributions to support OSUMC can be made by contacting the Foundation for Medical Center at 918-599-5934. The Foundation for the Medical Center is not affiliated with or the Foundation.
Updated 05-21-2012
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