Retrospect: Plans approved for new hospital

Forty years ago this week, Jay County Hospital Board approved the design and development plans for the construction of a new pre-cast concrete modular hospital to be built at the facility’s current location on Votaw Street.

The plans called for bids to be turned in by March 15 in order to avoid making an application for an extension from Central Indiana Health Systems Agency.

Jim Patterson of Geupel DeMars, Indianapolis, estimated the new facility would cost $5.3 million. The board followed his recommendation to accept final design plans from McGuire & Shook architects of Indianapolis.

“I think we should forge ahead with a minimum number of alternates, figure out what we want, and take a clean shot at it,” said Patterson, the construction manager for the project.

One of the possible changes being considered by the board was to the design of the roof because of concerns about the weight of snow on the proposed flat surface. Heavy snow was on the minds of board members after the blizzard that had hit just a couple of weeks earlier.

The board approved a variety of other “deductions” from the hospital plans, resulting in cost reductions of about $180,000.

The main portion of the new building was designed at 90 by 330 feet.