News Releases

August 15, 2005
West Georgia Health System selects team to lead hospital expansion, renovation

Team will manage $60 million project including

ER, ICU and campus improvements

  The West Georgia Health System (WGHS) Board of Trustees today selected the companies that will serve as program manager, construction manager, and architect to oversee pre-construction planning for the hospital's major expansion and renovation project. The approximately $60 million project is the first of several construction phases on the hospital's main campus and will include the construction of an emergency room, intensive care unit, cardiology services, women's center and overall building improvements.

              KLMK Group (KLMK) will serve as program managers; McCarthy Building Companies as construction managers and Ellerbe Becket as architects for the project.

The pre-construction phase will include development of the initial schematic design, a master budget and the overall schedule for all project activities. If the WGHS Board of Trustees chooses to proceed with the project at the end of this phase in early 2006, the board will extend its contracts with the construction team to oversee the construction phase as well as approve a guaranteed maximum expenditure for the project.

              ìThis major expansion project will allow West Georgia Health System to improve the services we offer and extend our reach into the community,î said WGHS President/CEO Jerry Fulks.   ìWe are thrilled with the level of expertise that McCarthy, Ellerbe Becket and KLMK bring to the table and are confident that these top-notch companies will provide our health system with the experience necessary to successfully plan our expansion program.î

              For nearly 12 months, design and planning firms Morell & Associates and Engberg Anderson Design Partnership, Inc. have spearheaded the planning and programming process for the WGHS project. The new team will work with Morell & Associates to transition the concepts of the master plan into a construction strategy and fixed budget for the expansion.

ìThe growth in LaGrange and Troup County is fueling a need for WGHS to grow our operations,î Fulks added. ìWe will continue to set the standard for healthcare and quality health services in West Georgia and look forward to expanding our offerings as our facility grows.î

About the team:

Founded in 1864, McCarthy ( www.mccarthy.com ) is one of the nation's oldest privately held construction companies and leading hospital builders.   McCarthy has been ranked among the top healthcare builders by Modern Healthcare, since the magazine began its annual ranking more than 30 years ago.   The 100 percent employee-owned firm has offices in Atlanta, St. Louis, Detroit, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Dallas, Newport Beach, CA, San Francisco and Sacramento.

KLMK Group, LLC (KLMK) is a leading provider of comprehensive facility solutions to visionary healthcare owners. The group of experienced and multidisciplinary professionals provides independent, objective and professional advice to healthcare providers involved in the planning and development of facilities and real estate. The management team includes some of the most experienced and dedicated individuals in the industry.

An innovator since its founding in 1909, Ellerbe Becket is a leader in architecture, engineering and the construction industry with office locations worldwide. Ellerbe's Washington, D.C. office Healthcare Design Studio will lead the design process, utilizing a number of local Georgia consultants.