In the beginning, there was a house on the site that had not had any occupants in a few years. Our first step, after acquiring the property and obtaining the necessary zoning, was to remove the house and begin preparing the site for construction.

After waiting many long weeks through a very cold winter, this was a very welcome site...men working on the concrete for the floors!

By the end of the day, on March 24, 2003, we had finally completed a major step in the construction process. This is the same view as in the first photo with the original house on the site.

As the roof begins to take shape, it is starting to look like a building! These photos were taken on April 2, 2003.

View from the side, showing the "lantern" which will give us a very high ceiling and a lot of natural light in the treatment area.

This is a view from the back corner of the building, showing the kennel area (the concrete block walls seen on the left of the picture). We will have indoor dog runs in this area, for our patients and for boarding pets. This also shows a good view of the lantern over the treatment room.

The windows went in on April 5, 2003. The roof is also completed at this point, and the shingles will be going on next.

Now that the roof has been completely closed in, the shape of the building is becoming more apparent. There are many different roof lines, which will allow us to have high ceilings and vaulted spaces throughout the hospital. This will add visual interest and make the interior feel open and airy.

This photo from April 12 shows the completed roof. The shingles were finished in a matter of only a few days!









This is a view of the ICU areas in the treatment room. They will have glass doors so that we can observe patients while we are working, yet they can rest in a quiet environment.

This is taken in the same room as the photo above, but you are looking straight up. The ceiling will be roughly 18 feet high in this area, and will bring a lot of natural light into the center of the building.

Application of the brick began on April18, 2003.  Choosing the brick was a daunting decision, as there are so many colors and styles available. We are pleased with our choice, and you can see what the south side of the building looks like with the brick, as well as a band of grey stone around the bottom for contrast.

The rough electrical work is being done this week as well as rough plumbing and furnace ductwork. Before long, the walls can be closed with drywall and the building will really begin to take shape!

There is a lot of ductwork in the hospital.
We are placing three entirely separate heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems so that there will no noise, no odor, and we can control the temperatures in the different zones very specifically.

These two photos were taken on May 24, 2003. As you can see, the siding and soffits are being applied to the exterior of the building, and will be finished in a few more days. We chose a light gray color to blend with the stone, brick mortar, windows and roof.

Although it is easier to see the changes on the outside of the building, there is a flurry of activity inside as well. The electricians are installing the needed wiring, the furnace contractor is finishing with ductwork, and the computer and telephone network cabling is being installed. The hospital will have nearly one mile of network and telephone wire installed by the time we are finished! We wanted to be sure we are "wired for the future."

This is a view of the front of the hospital as of June 22, 2003. Soon the sidewalks and landscaping will be getting started, in preparation for our opening in early September 2003!

This is an early view of the feline waiting area. As you can see, the insulation is finished, and the drywall crews have started to do their work. The rooms are beginning to take shape, and we will soon be choosing flooring for the interior.

This is a sneak preview of Dr. Daugherty's office, which is located on the north side of the building.

Obviously, it takes a lot of electrical circuits to run a modern hospital. This is the electrical "nerve center" of the building. 

 

The exterior of the building is really taking shape now that the sidewalks have been poured. The columns have also been installed on the brick pillars.  The next step is the rough grading of the soil and installation of the landscaping elements around the building.

This is a view of the dog waiting area. There will be a built-in bench seat as well as a video monitor to watch DVDs, and indirect lighting will make the area bright and cheerful.

We have plenty of parking spaces!!





The treatment room is starting to take shape, one step at a time. We still have more cabinets to install, but soon we can start filling them up!

Hey, it's starting to look like an exam room!










The pharmacy area needs to have the refrigerator installed, and the upper cabinets will have glass doors soon, but the interior spaces are looking good so far.

We finally moved into our new home on Sept. 26, 2003, and opened for business the next day. Due to an incredibly dedicated and professional staff, things went remarkably well, considering the fact that we moved an entire medical practice in one weekend!

To the right are some photos of the finished product. Although construction is never easy or fun, we are very happy with the final result, and we encourage you to come by any time for a tour of our hospital. We are very proud of it.