Hoag hits $50-million funding goal

June Casagrande

The $50-million fund-raising goal that once seemed a long way off

is now history for Hoag Hospital.

Hoag representatives on Wednesday announced that they had met

their $50-million mark for contributions for their new women’s

pavilion -- the largest hospital fund-raising campaign in the history

of Orange County.

Hospital reserves and loans will cover the remainder of the

$180-million cost to build the new 309,000-square-foot complex,

including a seven-story tower that will stand as tall as the existing

10-story tower.

The campaign to raise the money took about three years and

attracted several large donations, including a $5-million gift from

the A. Gary Anderson Family Foundation in May and a $2.5-million

grant from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation in February. The

money came from group and private donations, as well as events such

as the hospital’s annual Christmas Carroll Ball, its “Stag Shoot”

event and the annual Toshiba Senior Classic Golf Tournament.

“We’re very grateful,” said Ronald Guziak, executive director of

the Hoag Hospital Foundation, which is Hoag’s fund-raising arm.

“People believe in our hospital and believe we’re serving not only

their health, but improving the health of the community as a whole.”

The women’s pavilion, scheduled to be completed in autumn 2005,

will contain services for childbirth and general women’s health. The

building will include 18 labor/delivery/recovery suites, a maternity

unit with 42 private rooms, a neonatal intensive care unit and three

operating rooms for cesarean sections.

The announcement comes at a time when Hoag representatives are

working to assure residents that the hospital’s expansion will have a

minimal effect on traffic and views.

A community meeting with the West Newport Beach Assn. last week

drew about 30 neighbors concerned about hospital expansion. A meeting

with residents of the Villa Balboa complex is scheduled for Nov. 19.

Hospital Vice President Peter Foulke assured neighbors that the

new tower would not obscure views of the bluffs. He also explained

how traffic will flow at the renovated hospital. In 2005, the main

entrance to the hospital will be from Hospital Road. Currently, the

main entrance is from Coast Highway.

Some residents, especially those in the Villa Balboa condominium

complex, worry that the machinery and equipment on the roofs of Hoag

buildings could blight their view.

Another worry is that an electrical generator being built on the

hospital grounds will add to visual blight and fog.

“I’m just glad that people are starting to pay attention, because

now’s the time to make sure this is something we can live with,” said

John Chamberlain, a resident of Villa Balboa.

“We want to make sure that people have the facts and know what’s

going on with construction,” said Debra Legan, vice president of

marketing for the hospital.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.