A view from the top

Construction for the new hospital at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center reached the halfway point in November 2018 as the final structural steel column was placed.

To celebrate this milestone, Sharp Chula Vista and Sharp HealthCare Foundation held a topping out ceremony where executives, doctors, employees, community members and donors had the chance to leave their mark and sign the final beam before it was placed at the top of the tower’s frame.

“On the surface, this new hospital means private patient rooms, advanced surgery suites, more parking, a new lobby and a rooftop cafe,” says Sarah Cantu, senior director of philanthropy and campaign director. “However, beyond that, this new hospital is also our way of partnering with the community to continue to provide top-level, personalized care that our community deserves.”

The topping out ceremony is a symbolic measure of success of the project and represents the completion of the steel structure. Approximately 75 people attended the event.

The steel beams and columns arrived at Sharp Chula Vista in September 2018. Overall, there are 3,580 pieces of steel used to create the framework of the new hospital, which weigh nearly 4 million pounds in total.

“This hospital belongs to the community, and Sharp is making a loud commitment that high-quality health care in the South Bay matters,” says Cantu. “Building a next-generation hospital is a huge commitment and we cannot do it alone. We’ve asked the community to join us on this journey to go above and beyond by helping fund the new hospital through philanthropic support.”

The new hospital tower at Sharp Chula Vista is a transformative addition to the original hospital and will combine clinical excellence with thoughtful consideration to provide the best level of care to the community we’re privileged to serve. The expanded Sharp Chula Vista opens in October 2019. For more information, visit sharp.com/chulavistaexpansion.

For the news media: To talk with Sarah Cantu about Sharp Chula Vista’s new hospital for an upcoming story, contact Erica Carlson, senior public relations specialist, at erica.carlson@sharp.com.