Opening of state-of-the-art Madigan Annex building was worth the wait

By Bob Reinert, Madigan Public Affairs

Its brick exterior dates back to World War II, but what greets patients and staff inside Building 9905 is state of the art.

That became clear when a grand reopening ceremony was held recently for the Madigan Annex building, which houses the Department of Social Work’s Family Advocacy and Preventative Intervention Programs.

According to Jeff Heim, Madigan’s chief of Facilities Management, Bldg. 9905 received a $4.7 million makeover that took 18 months to complete. The result is a sparkling interior with 12,000 square feet of space spread throughout its two stories.

“It was supposed to be done in May,” Heim said. “It was finished, actually, in January. It took us a little while to move in.” “We couldn’t be happier,” said Diane Debiec, acting chief of the Department of Social Work. “The building was in a huge state of disrepair. We were moved out of the building temporarily for about a year.”

“We had to build temporary facilities over in Building 9933 and put them in there while we renovated it,” Heim said.

It was well worth the wait. Bldg. 9905, once a barracks, now has comfortable reception, administrative and office areas, along with three conference rooms and two break rooms.

It has central heat and air conditioning, alarms and sprinklers for full fire protection and is Americans with Disabilities Act compliant with an elevator. The building also has blast-proof walls and windows, a $200,000 furniture package, incorporates sustainable design and features, has sound-proof walls and ceilings, and includes duress alarms and security features for reception for staff safety.

As Heim pointed out, the building has “many creature comforts.”

“It’s a real pleasure for us to have a state-of-the-art facility to be able to care for our patients and to provide them the quality level of service that we provide,” Debiec said.

Brigadier General Sheila R. Baxter, then commanding general, Madigan and Western Regional Medical Command, performed the ceremonial ribbon cutting.

“This is a great day,” Baxter said. “And it’s a testament to our commitment to not only the patients who will enter this building, but our staff who work here. The environment is so pleasant. This is plainly another example of the quality that Madigan exhibits on a daily basis.”

Heim called the Bldg. 9905 renovation the “standard for the rest of the facilities we’re going to build over here” at Madigan Annex.