95,000-SF Research Facility Breaks Ground

LOS ANGELES-Orthopaedic Hospital of Los Angeles and UCLA have broken ground on a 95,000-sf basic science research facility on the university’s Westwood campus that will focus on the care of orthopaedic disorders through musculoskeletal research.

Designed by Cesar Pelli & Associates, the center will be home to collaboration between researchers from Orthopaedic Hospital and UCLA, housing basic science and clinical research programs in the fields of biochemistry, molecular genetics, molecular, cell and developmental biology, and biological chemistry. All of those fields, the joint developers of the project point out, have special relevance to musculoskeletal problems in children and adults, which is the focus of Orthopaedic Hospital’s efforts.

James V. Luck, Jr., president, CEO and medical director of Orthopaedic Hospital, says the new center will foster increased collaboration between the hospital and UCLA researchers. One of the missions of the center will be research oriented toward new therapies for crippling birth defects and other disorders treated by Orthopaedic Hospital.

The six-story structure will consist of four research laboratory floors, a loading dock floor and a basement mechanical room, along with 28 faculty offices. The third, fourth and fifth floors will be entirely dedicated to research, with each floor consisting of approximately 14 laboratory spaces and seven office spaces. Twenty-eight faculty offices also will be located throughout the building.

The new facility is the second major construction undertaking in the past year by Orthopaedic Hospital, which is based in Downtown Los Angeles. As reported previously by GlobeSt.com, the hospital broke ground last year on a 40,000-sf outpatient center for children at its Downtown L.A. campus. That facility, which is now nearing completion and is due to be operating later this year, will enable the hospital to double its service capacity from 40,000 to 80,000 outpatient visits annually.