Lillibridge Hershey Outpatient Center Receives Green Building Status

CHICAGO and HERSHEY, Pa., May 14, 2010 - The Hershey Outpatient Center was recently awarded LEED® certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.

Chicago-based Lillibridge developed, financed and owns the two-story, 164,800 square foot, on-campus ambulatory care center. The facility is located on the East Campus of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (HMC) in Hershey. The "big box" multi-disciplinary outpatient facility is 100 percent leased to the medical center, which retained ownership of the 23-acre site by means of a long-term ground lease with Lillibridge.

"HMC and Penn State College of Medicine are in the midst of a multi-year capital improvement program intended to meet the growing health needs of the Central Pennsylvania region, and we are actively pursuing LEED certification on all new construction projects," HMC Project Director Carolyn Akers explains. "As the developer, Lillibridge helped us to achieve our sustainability objective by actively participating with the other project team members and facilitating the entire development process."

"One of the primary reasons Lillibridge was selected to develop the Hershey Outpatient Center was our ability to secure financing for this important new facility," Lillibridge Chairman & CEO Todd W. Lillibridge says. "However, we were also able to give HMC the benefit of our 30 years of healthcare design experience. We embraced it from the beginning and were happy to contribute to HMC's goal of reaching LEED certification."

In addition to Lillibridge and HMC, the project team included architects from the Alexandria, Va., office of HDR Inc. and the general contractor, R.S. Mowery & Sons Inc. of Mechanicsburg, Pa.

The LEED criteria include eight major areas, such as sustainable sites, water efficiency and indoor environmental quality. But the Hershey Outpatient Center scored particularly well in at least two areas that HMC would pursue even if it wasn't seeking a green building designation, Ms. Akers says.

First, the design emphasized the use of no- and low-VOC materials, minimizing the impact of volatile organic compounds, which can negatively affect the environment and human health. As a healthcare provider, Ms. Akers says, HMC has made that a requirement for all new HMC buildings. Second, the building supports HMC's goal of promoting healthy living by placing bicycle racks in close proximity to showers, making it practical for employees to ride their bikes to work.

Construction of the Hershey Outpatient Center began in September 2006 and was completed in March 2008. It is located at 30 Hope Drive on HMC's East Campus. The facility houses a variety of integrated outpatient services for neurology, neurosurgery and orthopedics. Other practices include occupational and speech therapy, rehabilitation and sports medicine, along with a comprehensive breast care center. The facility is also equipped with modern imaging services including MRI, CT and digital radiography.

About Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Founded in 1963 through a gift from The Milton S. Hershey Foundation, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is committed to enhancing your quality of life through improved health, the professional preparation of those who will serve your health needs, and the discovery of knowledge that will benefit all. At the end of June 2008, Penn State Hershey Medical Center admitted 26,684 patients and provided care through 808,642 outpatient and 51,758 emergency-service visits. Penn State Hershey Medical Center has over 7,400 employees, 355 volunteers, and the College of Medicine enrolls more than 600 students annually.