SOUTHEAST MISSOURI LOBBY CONSTRUCTION UNDER WAY

The lobby at Southeast Missouri Hospital was demolished earlier this week as construction began on a new lobby scheduled to open in August 1996.

Meanwhile, visitors to the hospital have had to enter the building through a temporary main entrance at the canopied hospital dismissal doors on Lacey Street.

A shuttle service, from visitor parking areas to the new entrance, will operate weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The complimentary shuttle service, which was introduced several months ago, has been busy this week. It transported more than 300 people Monday and more than 400 Tuesday.

The latest construction is the third and final phase of the largest expansion project in the hospital's history.

The $5.9 million project includes a 20,000-square-foot main lobby, with a mezzanine level, an exterior courtyard and renovation of areas within the hospital that were vacated by departments moving into the 105,000-square-foot Clinical Services Building last year.

Access to emergency services on the ground level of the Clinical Services Building and parking at the new emergency services entrance isn't affected by the construction.

The current project, the $19 million Clinical Services Building, a 60,000-gallon water reserve system, construction of a pedestrian link and a Union Electric substation were financed through a bond issue the hospital offered in June 1991.

"We are proud of the success we have had over the past four years with our building program," hospital administrator James W. Wente said.

Demolition of the circa 1960s lobby has also produced something that hasn't been seen in a long time -- the outline of the original hospital that was constructed in 1928.

Wente said a focal point of the new lobby area will be an interior fountain. The area will feature a restaurant on the mezzanine level, operated by the Hospital Auxiliary in cooperation with Marriott Food Services. A gift shop will be situated adjacent to the lobby.

The outside courtyard will be the site of the Southeast Missouri Hospital Foundation's Commemorative Brick Program, which was introduced two years ago.

The hospital's Marketing and Communications and Social Services-Discharge Planning departments, in houses directly across Lacey Street from the main hospital, will move into newly renovated areas.

The houses, Wente said, will be razed to create a green area overlooking Capaha Park.

A number of hospital departments will move or expand into renovated interior areas vacated by the emergency, surgery and radiology departments. They include patient registration, medical library, physician support services such as quality management and discharged planning, medical records and other services.