P&S Annual Report
Capital Initiatives 

Building, Rebuilding, and Expanding 

Beginning in 1990, Columbia Health Sciences undertook a comprehensive 10-year capital expansion program valued at up to $280 million. The bulk of this total is being used to fund capital initiatives in P&S. 

When completed, the capital expansion program will result in a total of close to a million gross square feet of renovated or new space, including the refurbishment of close to 300,000 square feet of existing space, the addition of about 200,000 square feet of new space being vacated in the old Presbyterian Hospital building, the restoration of about 135,000 square feet of newly renovated space in the Neurological Institute (which is being shared with Presbyterian Hospital), and the augmentation of 260,000 square feet in two new buildings in the Audubon Biomedical Science and Technology Park. In addition, a new 330,000-square-foot Psychiatric Institute is being constructed by the state and will house Columbia's psychiatric and neurosciences research programs. 

These capital initiatives represent the first major space expansion at the campus since the construction of the Hammer Health Sciences building in the mid-1970s. Substantial improvements also have been made to upgrade the building and life safety systems on the campus. 

Some of these projects: 
Presbyterian Hospital Building-Columbia took possession of about 200,000 square feet, the bulk of which (170,000 gross square feet) is being acquired under a 99-year lease with Presbyterian Hospital. When finished, Columbia programs will occupy almost 40 percent of the building. The space includes the new state-of-the-art Student Learning Center, a new audiovisual center, and added administrative space. 

Basic Sciences-A significant amount of new and renovated laboratory and administrative space has been added for many of the basic science departments, including genetics, pharmacology, biochemistry, pathology, and anatomy. New space has been added to support specific basic science programs, including molecular biology research, a new Markey Center for Molecular Toxicology, the structural biophysics program, and new laboratories and offices for the human genome project. 

Clinical Sciences-Significant new laboratory and administrative space has been added for many clinical science programs. Most of these initiatives support the badly needed expansion of laboratory, research, and administrative space for the Department of Medicine, the first significant space expansion for the department in many years. It will bring its total space complement (roughly 77,000 square feet of new and refurbished space) more closely into line with medicine departments in peer institutions. Other capital programs supporting the clinical sciences include new laboratories and offices for dermatology, pediatrics, surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, anesthesiology, and radiation oncology. 

Other Academic Programs-A number of new projects support centers, institutes, and programs, such as the Irving Center for Clinical Research, the Institute of Human Nutrition, the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, occupational and physical therapy programs, and the Rosenthal Center for Alternative/Complementary Medicine. 

Animal Facilities-The master plan to renovate and expand laboratory animal resources was completed in 1995, providing about 55,000 square feet of space at a cost of about $18 million. The laboratory animal facilities on the 18th and 19th floors of the Black/P&S Building, 17th floor of the Hammer Building, and 8th floor of the Eye Institute Annex include animal husbandry space for housing many species of animals; a biohazard suite; and necropsy, histology, and clinical laboratories to support research. The experimental surgery section includes seven operating rooms, ICU and step-down postoperative recovery rooms, and a diagnostic radiographic suite. The facilities now include a state-of-the-art centralized experimental surgery section and two large barrier facilities for housing transgenic mice. The modernization of the facilities enabled P&S to regain AAALAC accreditation. 

Teaching Facilities-Major improvements have been made to address inadequacies in teaching space and to accommodate the needs of the new curriculum. The Alumni Auditorium and its audiovisual systems were refurbished. The new student learning center opened with three microscopy labs and breakout classrooms, seven lab/demonstration rooms that can be converted to smaller classrooms, three seminar rooms, a computer classroom, state-of-the-art AV equipment that can connect microscopy labs to other sites--including operating rooms--to facilitate interactive learning experiences and teleconferencing services. The complement of teaching facilities now includes two large modern lecture halls, five smaller amphitheaters and auditoria, 16 labs and classrooms in the new student learning center, and 14 classrooms in the Hammer Building. 

Upgrading Campus Building Systems-Almost 20 percent of the capital plan has been devoted to building systems and infrastructure, including improvements to the electrical and mechanical systems in each building (new chillers, cooling towers, pumps, associated distribution piping systems, purified and condenser water systems, and new or reinforced electrical distribution systems for both normal and emergency power). A new mechanical support area built on the top floor of the Presbyterian Hospital building enables P&S to provide much of its own systems support independent of the hospital. Elevator systems have been modernized, incorporating provisions of the recent Americans with Disabilities Act. Fire alarm equipment has been replaced with newer, more reliable systems and sprinkler systems have been installed in a majority of the renovated spaces and in all new buildings. Additional hospital building improvements being shared with Presbyterian Hospital include new roofs, a new acid waste disposal system, repairs to the building facade, and upgrading of all elevators. 

The Neighborhood-Initiatives were taken to address concerns about security on the campus. The use of electronic security systems has been expanded, including closed circuit television, alarms, and card-controlled access, both within the complex and around the perimeter of the academic and residential buildings. Security forces have been improved, including increased deployment of better trained personnel, a greater presence of security personnel on the street and in highly visible patrol vehicles, and the assignment of permanent police officers to the campus perimeter. The situation in the surrounding community also has improved. New public schools have been built nearby, the Audubon Park has reclaimed some dilapidated areas adjacent to the campus (including a park that will be renovated), and a new police precinct headquarters has been added to the community. The situation in the public armory, located in the heart of the medical center, has improved dramatically: The building is no longer used as a nighttime shelter for 1,200 homeless men; only a small housing facility, well-supported by services, remains inside. The building has been furbished for use as an indoor track facility by high school students and members of the community. Better interaction among the security units of Presbyterian, the Psychiatric Institute, and the University; an expanded crime prevention program; and increased use of security orientation sessions for new students have contributed to security improvements. 

Audubon: Forward-Thinking Science 

Audubon Biomedical Science and Technology Park, the first biomedical research and biotechnology park in New York City, officially opened its doors in October 1995. Gov. George Pataki joined Columbia officials in dedicating the park's first building, the Mary Woodard Lasker Biomedical Research Building. 

The Lasker Building houses the Audubon Business and Technology Center, which nurtures start-up biotechnology and biomedically related companies with a goal of jump-starting the city's biotechnology industry. While New York state has the fifth largest concentration of biotechnology companies in the United States, less than 1 percent of them are located in New York City. 

Columbia University developed the 105,000-square-foot, $28 million Lasker Biomedical Research Building in partnership with the city and state. It features a 5,000-square-foot business incubator with finished lab space divided into 500-square-foot modules for small companies. The incubator facility was selected by Progressive Architecture magazine as one of 1995's most innovative laboratory designs. 

The building also earned Columbia the "Commitment Award" from the Association of Minority Enterprises of New York for exceeding affirmative action contracting and employment goals in the building's construction. The Audubon Biomedical Science and Technology Park also sponsors a laboratory technology internship as part of its commitment to job training for residents of the Washington Heights community. 

Construction of the second Audubon building, the $66 million Center for Disease Prevention, is under way. The first phase of construction will complete the core and shell of the facility and outfit two laboratory floors. Construction of the three other laboratory floors and the animal facility will follow. The building will be the first dedicated research facility constructed on the Health Sciences campus since the mid-1970s. 

Once just an idea, the Audubon Park expresses forward-thinking biomedical science in service to health care and the economy. 

Psychiatric Institute and 
Other New Digs 

New York state is constructing a new, 330,000-square-foot Psychiatric Institute at a cost of $84 million to replace a facility built in 1929. The state facility is home to extensive psychiatric research conducted by the P&S psychiatry department. The new, state-of-the-art facility promises to be one of the best psychiatric research centers in the nation....Occupational Therapy Programs and the Physical Therapy Program moved into a renovated eighth floor in the Neurological Institute. The new space, known as the Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Education and Research Facilities, has classrooms, research facilities, conference space, a student lounge, and faculty offices. The Gladys Brooks Foundation awarded $100,000 to equip the newly renovated occupational therapy classrooms with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment....The new Southworth General Medicine Unit was named for Dr. Hamilton Southworth, a member of the P&S faculty for 57 years before his death in 1994. Dr. Southworth was president of the Presbyterian Hospital Medical Board and chairman of the Medical Ethics Committee who also played a major role in raising funds for renovation. The new offices and research facilities that comprise the Southworth General Medicine Unit will help staff members pursue the center's dual academic and research missions....In space modernization agreements with Presbyterian Hospital, P&S is constructing a significant amount of the space it is acquiring in the old hospital building. When completed, Columbia Health Sciences will occupy almost 40 percent of the building. Floors 17 through 22--92,000 gross square feet--were renovated as a block to allow the appropriate systems support to be built from the beginning. These floors, together with the full seventh, eighth, and ninth floors and part of the 15th floor, accommodate programs for pharmacology, medicine, human nutrition, and the cancer center. The space also includes a state-of-the-art Student Learning Center, a new audio-visual center, and added administrative space....The Vascular Surgery Service opened the Joan and David Helpern Clinical Non-invasive Vascular Diagnostic Laboratory in the Atchley Pavilion with a new Advanced Technology Laboratories 3000 High Definition Imaging Color Duplex Ultrasound and an IMEX LAB 900 Non-invasive Flow Study Machine. The instrumentation allows state-of-the-art circulation testing with the highest quality ultrasound imaging available....The Department of Dermatology opened 7,500 gross square feet of remodeled basic science research laboratories on the 15th floor of Vanderbilt Clinic. Because of limited floor space in the new lab, the ribbon cutting was celebrated at a reception that showed a video of the ribbon cutting. Reception guests took tours of the lab in small groups. 

Facelifts and Other Improvements

Pediatric hematology and pediatric oncology are now separate divisions in the Department of Pediatrics. The divisions will occupy an entire floor of the new Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Atchley Pavilion....Automated anesthesia record-keeping systems were installed in six operating rooms as the first step toward computerization of perioperative data. This has facilitated outcome studies by anesthesiology researchers....The Bard Athletic Center in Bard Hall received a facelift that expanded the aerobics room and installed a floating wood floor specially designed for aerobic dance....To eliminate redundant services and offer employees the best in occupational health care, the employee health services for Columbia Health Sciences and Presbyterian Hospital merged. The new service, called CPMC Occupational Health Service, is located in renovated space on the first floor of the Harkness Pavilion and offers a full range of health services including preplacement and periodic exams, evaluation of work-related injuries, immunization and surveillance programs, and preventive health screenings....Improved services for students include a new student information system that incorporates the previously independent admissions, bursar, registrar and financial aid information systems into a comprehensive and integrated system. Improved coordination with the main campus provides better facilities management services. New administrative systems assure better monitoring of capital projects and improved operation and maintenance services. A new computerized facilities management system, developed in conjunction with the central University, is expected to further improve the overall performance of the facilities operations.