60-year-old Baptist hospital building to get $5.6 million facelift

Posted on July 6, 2015 By Editor Riverside, Avondale, Ortega, Murray Hill, San Jose, San Marco, St. Nicholas

In order to better reflect its cutting-edge facilities, Baptist Medical Center is giving a $5.6 million facelift to the outer façade of its main building at 800 Prudential Drive.

The project involves removing the brick on the outside of the five-story structure, which was originally opened in 1955. The façade will be repaired and the inner clay tile wall replaced where necessary. The building will be covered completely with a new exterior, which will aesthetically blend in with the rest of the campus, said Michael Mayo, hospital president of Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville.

Construction on the project began March 17 and is expected to be complete in December.

“In order to maintain the functionality and appearance of our campus, these renovations are undertaken as a part of our commitment to provide state-of-the-art facilities for our community,” Mayo said.

Repairing the window ledges will be included in the renovation. New energy-efficient, impact-rated windows and windowsills will be installed. Minor repairs will be made to the electrical wiring, exhaust vents and exterior doors. The roof will be replaced and new roof drains and access ladders will be added.

The first floor of the main building includes medical staff and other offices. The upper stories of the building are currently used for support services, office space, educational space and volunteer offices. No patients are being cared for in the building. No decision has been made on what the building will be used for once the renovations are completed, Mayo said.

Batson-Cook Construction is in charge of the project. “We find it very rewarding to participate in this project to preserve a historic building that has played a significant role in healthcare in this area since it opened in 1955,” said a company spokesman.