Cutting the Ribbon to Open Large Medical Clinic in El Paso

Page was pleased and proud to attend the ribbon cutting for the newest University Medical Center (UMC) of El Paso Neighborhood Healthcare Center. The firm's prototype design has already been applied to another UMC center on the other side of El Paso that is scheduled to open during the spring of 2017. The ceremony to formally open UMC East Clinic on the city’s far east side was well-attended by local officials and news media.

The East Clinic is the largest such facility in the UMC healthcare network to date. According to the remarks made by dignitaries, it is nearly the size of a football field at nearly 45,000 square feet. The clinic will serve as a one-stop healthcare “shop” by offering community residents, 25 percent of whom lack health insurance, a range of services from primary to specialty care. In fact, El Paso County Commissioner Carlos Leon participated in the ribbon cutting, then ceremoniously became the clinic’s very first patient by getting a check-up afterward.

According to UMC President & CEO Jacob Cintron, the facility’s ultimate goal is to offer a variety of preventive care services that can help people maintain their health rather than having them wait until they become ill enough to visit a hospital. In addition to offering family, internal, pediatric and geriatric medical care, diagnostic imaging, laboratory and retail pharmacy services, UMC East Clinic also features a conference center available for community use.

Architecturally, the building reinforces the existing UMC visual identity by using many of the same materials and elements used at the front door and lobby of the hospital that anchors the health care network, which provides patients with a sense of familiarity. However, as a one-story clinic, the design also incorporates unique elements that include a central waiting room supported by a distinctive butterfly roof that offers daylighting and views of the nearby mountains. 

In addition to Page and UMC employees, other attendees included El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar, County Commissioner Vincent Perez and representatives of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce as well as the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The project team was comprised of Page in collaboration with Carl Daniels Architects, program manager Broaddus & Associates and general contractor Hensel Phelps. HKN performed the structural engineering; Moreno Cardenas served as civil engineer, MEP was provided by RBM and Sites Southwest served as landscape architect. In addition to architectural design, Page provided programming, planning and interior design services. 

To see news coverage from El Paso Proud and a video of the event, please click here. To see more coverage and images from El Paso, Inc. please click here.