‘Topping out’ ceremony held for clinic

VW independent/submitted information

Work has progressed quickly on Van Wert County Hospital’s new outpatient and ambulatory center on the north side of Van Wert. Less than four months after the official groundbreaking, the hospital marked a milestone in the construction phase of the county’s newest outpatient and ambulatory center, Van Wert Health North, with an official “topping out” ceremony on November 8.

This topping out ceremony — a construction tradition — marked the completion of the first phase of steelwork for the 19,000 square-foot facility, which will give patients access to a walk-in clinic, family medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, occupational health, a specialist clinic, laboratory, and imaging services, which will include open MRI, CT scan, and X-ray capabilities.  The ceremony was an opportunity for Van Wert County Hospital leaders, physicians, employees, and board members to thank the building planners and construction crew for their long hours of hard work and dedication on the project, which is on schedule to be completed next summer.

“This new facility will allow us to continue providing what this growing community needs and deserves – quality and cost-effective healthcare that is accessible to all people, both children and adults,” said Van Wert County Hospital President and CEO Jim Pope.  “I’m excited to see the speed of the construction on the Van Wert Health North project.”

Prior to the ceremony, Van Wert County Hospital employees were invited to autograph the steel beam, and then, during the ceremony, watched the beam being hoisted by crane to its new home atop the structure.

Van Wert Health North will be part of Van Wert County Hospital. The outpatient and ambulatory center is being designed from the ground up by Design Collaborative Inc., while construction is managed by Weigand Construction, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana.