SALEM — The city’s planning board has approved the addition of a modern and patient-friendly main entrance and reception lobby to Salem Hospital.
This $15 million project will help ensure that the primary entry point to Salem Hospital — a member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare network — supports patients and families with a welcoming experience and important amenities.
The Planning Board approved the project on July 8, with an agreement from the hospital to enrich the landscape plan. The project will begin in October of 2021 and is scheduled for completion in January of 2023.
During construction, patients and visitors will be redirected to a temporary main entrance through the former Mass General for Children’s hospital entrance.
The project will reconfigure the current main entrance location at Davenport 4, enclose the open-air walkway and expand the interior lobby and services.
The new lobby encompasses more than 10,000 square feet of modern, well-designed space, which will be suffused with natural light.
Features will include a covered drop-off area; a greeter station staffed with ambassadors; security; a gift shop; a refreshment station; and comfortable, technology-enhanced seating areas for patients and family members awaiting rides or loved ones.
Arthur Epstein, a local philanthropist and donor to the hospital, has pledged a sizable donation to support the project.
“Arthur Epstein is an incredible man and we are so grateful for his generosity,” says Salem Hospital President David J. Roberts, M.D. “His support has been transformative for our organization and will enable us to address a critical need for a welcoming and accommodating reception space for patients and families.”
Salem Hospital has made significant improvements to its facilities in recent years, prioritizing patient care spaces including a new emergency department, improved surgical space, 24 new private inpatient rooms and the 120-bed Epstein Center for Behavioral Health, which was also funded in part with a $5 million donation from Mr. Epstein.
The lobby project is a component of a multi-year campus redesign and coupled with new signage and wayfinding being installed this fall.
Allysha Dunnigan can be reached at [email protected].
