Enloe Century Project Frequently Asked Questions
Enloe Century Project Fact Sheet
Download and review our fact sheet for a list of what to expect with the Enloe Medical Center expansion. (Adobe PDF)
Enloe Century Project Frequently Asked Questions
What is Enloe Century Project?
The Enloe Century Project is a much needed expansion of Enloe Medical Center at 1531 Esplanade in Chico. The project consists of a new five-story patient tower, including single-story Emergency Department and Surgical Center sections; a four-level, three-story parking structure; and a community park. The patient tower is being built on the west side of the existing five-story patient tower, and the two buildings will connect.
What will the new patient tower offer?
The new patient tower will provide an additional 191,000 square feet of space and will create an additional 140 beds in private rooms, with the flexibility to accommodate more patients by offering semi-private rooms if necessary. It will also include:
- A new emergency department, located in a single-story building, that is nearly triple the square footage of the existing department and equipped with its own X-ray and CT-scan.
- A new surgical department, located in a single-story building, with double the existing surgical suites. It will include dedicated heart, neurological and orthopedic operating rooms, and have its own street entrance, lobby and reception area.
- Two new intensive care units with 12 beds will also be part of the new patient tower.
- The entire fourth floor will be dedicated to maternity services. Named the Nettleton Mother & Baby Care Center, this unit will include triage rooms, private labor and delivery rooms, private post-partum rooms, a specialty care nursery, and a family lounge. The post-partum rooms will provide ample space for the comfort of the mother, baby and family, including furniture that enables loved ones to spend the night and private bathroom and shower.
- A new and significantly larger main entry lobby and reception area, with a café and garden eating areas
- A meditation room near the main entry lobby to provide a place of comfort
- Comfortable family lounges on the upper floors that will provide refreshment areas, so visitors can get water and coffee or use the microwave oven
- Separate elevators for patients and the public
- Employee lounges with lockers on each floor in every functional area
- A museum highlighting the achievements of more than ninety years of service
- A new gift shop
Will there be renovations to the existing patient tower?
Yes. Enloe will continue to improve the existing hospital and campus. These improvements will include:
- Renovations to 28,000 square feet of existing hospital space
- Updates to the facade of the existing medical center building to complement the new tower
- Landscaping enhancements bordering the existing medical center facility (See drawing of proposed plan at right.)
- Family lounges in each nursing unit
Tell me about the new parking structure.
Our new four-level, three-story parking structure opened in August 2008. It provides 742 parking spaces for employees and physicians. Located between West 6th and West 7th Avenues between Magnolia Avenue and Esplanade, the building has a Mediterranean-style façade that complements the new patient tower’s exterior.
 West elevation of the parking structure from Magnolia Avenue
What is the new park?
A park for patients, families, neighbors and the Enloe community is the third phase of the project. It will be located approximately between West 5th and 6th Avenues, from Arcadian to Magnolia.
When will the Century Project be completed?
The new patient tower is expected to be complete by 2011. Construction for the park will begin after the patient tower is complete, and should open about six months after work begins. Our parking structure opened in the Summer of 2008.
When was the last expansion of the medical center?
The Enloe Century Project is the fourth expansion of its Esplanade campus. The maternity, ancillary and south wings were added in 1950, 1968 and 1971 respectively. Enloe’s first patient tower, the existing five-story patient building, opened in 1980.
Why is Enloe planning to expand?
After the Northridge earthquake in 1994, the state of California passed legislation requiring hospitals to rebuild or retrofit their facilities to meet strict seismic standards by 2013 – or shut down completely. The legislation was written to assure that hospitals throughout the state remain relatively undamaged and operational after a major earthquake. The Century Project enables Enloe to meet the deadline. The existing patient tower, completed in 1980, is compliant with seismic guidelines. The new patient tower will house the patient units in the original hospital building, constructed in 1937 as well the additions made before 1979. When the tower is complete, these older structures will be converted into offices and other non-patient care uses.
The expansion will also allow Enloe to accommodate more patients and make room for more medical equipment. As we plan toward the year 2020, the Chico planning area is projected to grow by nearly 2 percent each year, for a total of at least 40,000 new residents. At that time, the baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, will represent the age segment of 56-74. People in this age segment require more health care than their younger counterparts. We are also living longer. As of 2005, life expectancy in the U.S. is 76 years for men and 86 years for women. As we consider the implications of a growing Chico area, health care leaders must also plan to ensure the right services are in the right place by the time the community needs them. As a community-governed, not-for-profit hospital, we are committed to assuring that we meet the needs of our community-today, tomorrow and for generations to come.
How much will the project cost?
Fully equipped, the Enloe Century Project is expected to cost $155 million.
How will Enloe fund the expansion?
Although the state requires seismic updates, it is not funding construction projects. This is up to the individual hospitals. Enloe is financing the $155 million project with savings, bonds, a fundraising campaign and the sale of our former Bruce Road vacant property. Absolutely no community or state tax hikes are involved. For more about funding the project, read about the Enloe Century Campaign.
How can I learn more about the progress of the construction?
Enloe publishes a monthly newsletter for neighbors. The Enloe Century Project Neighborhood Update is posted in a PDF format, available for the public to read. We also have a blog and a slide show of photos.
How can I donate to the Enloe Century Project?
Opportunities to support the Enloe Century Project are plentiful. Your investment by a gift of cash, pledges up to five years in length, stock, real estate, insurance, other valued property, annuities, bequests and trusts are welcomed. In addition to greatly assisting the success of this important campaign, many gifts also involve tax advantages for donors and their families. For more information on the Enloe Century Campaign, you can contact Enloe Foundation at 530.332.4550.
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