Work is moving along on the $31.5 million expansion of the Ballard campus of Swedish Medical Hospital, including more than 35,000 square feet of hospital and about 75,000 square feet of office space.

Swedish's Board of Trustees voted in November 2007 to authorize the multi-million project that will add a new outpatient center and medical-office building to the current campus located at 5350 Tallman Ave. N.W.

Parking for vehicles will be provided within the existing 510 stalls on the campus. A 62 by 12 foot skybridge will also be built as part of the project connecting the parking garage to the main building.

An environmental review is required for this project.

Liga Mezaraups, senior project manager at Swedish Medical Center said there have been "no significant changes at all," to the project and that it is still on schedule, though a tentative one.

"Nothing in essence has changed from the plan and the scope of the project," said Mezaraups, adding that so far the current economic conditions have had no effect.

Construction is expected to begin in early 2009, and the new building will open spring 2010 according to the Swedish Medical Center Web site.

Mezaraups said some minor demolition will occur at the site in December such as construction fencing.

The new five-story complex will house a new emergency room, a medical imaging center, a primary-care clinic and specialty physician offices.

Inpatient offerings are also expected to grow, including childbirth services, orthopedics, general surgery, medicine and addiction recovery, as well as other outpatient services.

"Our vision for Ballard, the phase one plan, is more development as we move into the future" Dr. Rodney F. Hochman, chief executive officer of the Ballard hospital has said.

Hochman also said a new facility would attract more doctors and give them a place to practice. Services will be in one location rather than spread out.

Swedish Medical Center was started in 1910 and now has four campuses in First Hill, Cherry Hill (formerly Providence), Issaquah and Ballard.

The original Ballard General Hospital opened in 1954 after a grass roots $1.5 million fundraising campaign. A famous group calling themselves the "Knuckle Knockers," went door to door to solicit donations.

For more information please call 206-215-2472 or e-mail liga.mezarups@swedish.org

Rebekah Schilperoort can be reached at 683-1244 or rebekahs@robinsonnews.com