Addition to Hospital Will Be Dedicated
Merle Norman won’t just be the name on cosmetics after today. The $36-million, six-story Merle Norman Pavilion will be dedicated this evening at Santa Monica Hospital Medical Center, which is also celebrating its 60th anniversary.
To mark the occasions, the 60-person Los Angeles Doctor’s Symphony will perform, and such prominent Westside restaurants as Scratch, Camelions, Gilliland’s and Gladstone’s will cater a party honoring J. B. Nethercutt, chief executive officer of Merle Norman Cosmetics.
The new tower has 107 patient beds, two-thirds of which are in private rooms, according to Leonard LaBella Jr., president of the hospital. A second phase, scheduled for completion next year, will feature a new hospital main entrance on 16th Street. A semi-circular driveway will help ease traffic congestion in front of the medical center at 1225 15th Street.
Bobrow/Thomas & Associates was the architect of the pavilion and Kitchell Construction Corp. served as general contractor.
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