Marina, CA
930 2nd Avenue, Marina, CA 93933
PHOTO GALLERY
Meridian builds 10,000 SF outpatient clinic adjacent to former military base
Meridian’s client desired to develop a new location in the coastal region of Marina, California to provide treatment for patients who were having to drive 45 minutes to their nearest location. Meridian identified a site that was part of a 4-parcel development, adjacent to a former military base, that would work for the project. Meridian was faced with numerous challenges throughout the projects including overcoming obstacles due to location of the site, dealing with strict water regulations, and working with a tight budget. Meridian used its tenacity and creative thinking to successfully complete the OSHPD 3 Outpatient clinic in just eight months.
CHALLENGES
Meridian was asked by its client to find a location for an OSHPD 3 dialysis Outpatient clinic to service patients in the coastal region of Marina, California. The operator’s patients were having to drive almost 45 minutes for treatment, so this new location was critical to service the community in this area.
One of the main challenges in the coastal regions of California is obtaining water rights. A medical building often consumes large amounts of water each day, with dialysis clinics sometimes using up to 5,000 gallons per day. Additionally, the site was located adjacent to a former military base which provided a few challenges of it’s own. There was a risk of unexploded ordinances on the site and the site was encumbered with a prevailing wage requirement as part of the CC&R’s. This meant that all construction had to be performed at prevailing wage rates, which increased the cost of the project and therefore resulted in higher rent for the end user. Since reimbursements for healthcare providers are often fixed or even declining, there are extreme pressures to reduce the cost. This put a lot of on the design team and Meridian to value engineer the project in any way possible.
SOLUTIONS
Meridian started by negotiating the tough water rights with the local jurisdiction and obtaining all necessary entitlements to build the clinic. Next, Meridian performed meticulous due diligence to ensure that there were no landmines or other dangerous hazards on the site before starting construction. This was required by the lender, title insurance policy, and for the overall safety of the project team. Surveying the site was done by using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), where the subsurface of the ground is surveyed for any foreign material. After confirming the site was clear, we could proceed with permits and grading the site.
In an effort to streamline the project and control costs, Meridian utilized the same General Contractor for both the core/shell and tenant improvements and put the project on an accelerated schedule. Several construction items, such as HVAC units, lights, doors, and specialty millwork, were purchased wholesale via national vendor accounts to reduce lead times and costs. Local contractors were used to eliminate travel expenses and provide for local hiring.
RESULTS
Ultimately Meridian delivered the project turn-key in less than eight months. This shaved approximately four months off of a typical schedule for an OSHPD 3 clinic, saving almost 33% off of the overhead. The project resulted in a beautiful outpatient clinic that is now treating patients with end stage renal disease, where their kidneys can no longer function on their own. Meridian is proud to be part of projects that provide desperately needed services for the community at a cost that is much cheaper than if performed in the traditional, inpatient hospital setting.