((L-R) Eric Meeuwsen, Sr. Project Manager, CS Construction; Charlotte Flood, Executive Director, Desert Orthopedics; Renee Alexander, principal architect, BBT Architects and Kenny Rice, Superintendent, CS Construction | Photo by Cascade Business News)
Group’s Second Bend Location Caters to Growing West Side Community
Desert Orthopedics has unveiled a new location on Bend’s growing west side, occupying the bulk of the space in a prime 25,000 square foot two-story medical office building on Simpson Avenue.
The building is a second Bend presence for the specialist orthopedic group, which has a main base on NE Cushing Drive in the St. Charles medical campus area, as well as a clinic on NW Fourth Street in Redmond.
The new, modern, sleek-looking urban style building, which features voluminous use of glass and second-level mountain views, was designed by Bend-based BBT Architects and built by local general contractor CS Construction. The project initially broke ground last July.
Desert Orthopedics has taken the majority of the ground floor space, and Executive Director Charlotte Flood said, “This move is a good fit for us and provides high visibility and more convenient access to our services for the growing community on the west side of Bend, while also giving room for additional future expansion.
“We are adding four new providers for this location, which also offers orthopedic care for day of injury through our ‘NOWcare’ clinic platform — providing patients with immediate access to skilled and personalized treatment, resulting in quicker pain relief and faster healing time — which is especially relevant for winter sports enthusiast injuries, given the closer proximity of this location to the Mt. Bachelor area.
“This walk-in amenity also saves our patients an initial visit to an urgent care clinic or the ER, which often involves a long wait, extra medical expenses and a delay in receiving the specialized orthopedic attention they need and will be provided.”
CS Construction Senior Project Manager Mike Meeuwsen said the building — located at the north west corner of SW Simpson Avenue and Columbia, just west and above Bend’s Old Mill District and east of Century Drive – was designed to blend in with other commercial buildings in the immediate area in the heart of a bustling west side corporate office environment.
The exterior is a mix of wood and steel siding and features extensive use of glass maximizing natural daylight and is similar in style to other buildings in the vicinity, including those occupied by neighboring tenants such as Rebound Physical Therapy, Keller Williams Real Estate and Deschutes County offices, in the Shevlin Center business corridor.
BBT Principal-in-Charge Renée Alexander said the design team worked with physicians and other staff members and stakeholders to optimize how the space would function, including creating pods to enhance patient flow, with each area accessing centralized support services. Desert Orthopedics’ in-house Information Technology (IT) professionals ensured installation of state of art network infrastructure in the medical space.
The space also accommodates new X-ray equipment, larger exam and procedure rooms, a sizeable break room and a bike storage area for commuting providers and staff. A covered portico to maximize comfort and safety for patients at the entrance leads into an open and inviting high-ceiling waiting area, while soothing photographs of local natural scenes are featured throughout the facility.
Orthopedic Surgeon specialist in knee and hip joint replacement Erin Finter, MD — who was born and raised in Bend before attending University of Washington for her undergraduate education and Georgetown University for medical school, graduating cum laude from both institutions — also acted as primary liaison for Desert Orthopedics on the project.
Meanwhile, BBT is moving its headquarters to an approximately 5,000 sq. ft. suite being created on the second floor, which also features a shared roof deck usable by building tenants for meetings, special planned events or to simply take the stress out of the workday and enjoy relaxing in the Central Oregon outdoors.
Alexander said the BBT space would match the firm’s “culture of collaboration and open dialog” and will include a large studio area with breakout space for creative discussion, as well as being “more functional, along with offering great visibility and accessibility”. Other features incorporate a library, multipurpose room for conferences and training purposes, as well as a quiet room and break room.
Kenny Rice, site superintendent for CS Construction, said the project was one of the bigger in the firm’s recent history, and when in full swing featured 30 to 35 people working for eight to ten subcontractors, which he observed were a “great group”. He commented that the relative tightness of the site, with the building occupying the majority of the three-quarter-acre lot, necessitated the frequent use of scissor and boom lifts, with materials needing to be stored on site.
The building shares reciprocal parking with adjacent office buildings and is owned by a group of Desert Orthopedics physicians in conjunction with JCIP-Simpson LLC, whose manager is Jordan Skovborg, and which also owns additional adjoining parcels.
About Desert Orthopedics
Desert Orthopedics specializes in treating injuries and conditions of the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons. Its dedicated team of orthopedic surgeons and specialists treat patients of all ages; including pediatric conditions, total joint replacement, non-surgical therapies and the treatment of sports injury. Care extends from diagnosis and treatment to prevention, repair, recovery and rehabilitation.
A talented team of orthopedic surgeons and specialists provide treatment for injuries and conditions of the hip, knee, shoulder, spine (neck & back) foot and ankle, hand and wrist. They also specialize in joint replacement, pediatric orthopedics, sports medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation and trauma. Supported by an experienced group of physician assistants and nurse practitioners, the entire medical team is dedicated to providing a personalized treatment plan that fits specific needs, with the shared goal of helping patients recover and Stay Active for Life.
Desert Orthopedics also provides athletic training and medical support to both regional and national athletic groups, including being official medical sponsor for the U.S. Ski & Snowboarding teams and the USA Cycling team who train in the Central Oregon area.
Locally, Desert Orthopedics is proud to be a title sponsor and medical team provider for Mt Bachelor Ski and Education Foundation (MBSEF) at the following events; the Pole Pedal Paddle, The Cascade Cycling Classic, Mini-World Cup and Great Nordeen races. The group’s doctors and athletic trainers provide onsite first-aid support and urgent orthopedic care for the teams throughout the season and at these competitive events.
Desert Orthopedics Westside Complex
1140 SW Simpson Ave., Ste. 100, Bend • 541-388-2333 • desertorthopedics.com
Property Owner/Developer: Simpson & Columbia, LLC
Contractor: CS Construction
Project Cost: $5.5M
Sitework Start: November 2017
Completion: December 2018
Square Footage: 25,000
Amenities: Staff showers, outdoor and indoor bike parking, accessible roof deck, covered patient drop-off, parklet gathering space
Financing: First Interstate Bank
Project Manager: Eric Meeuwsen
Supervisor: Kenny Rice
Engineer: Dylan Moore, CS Construction
Architect: BBT Architects
Principal Architect: Renée Alexander
Structural Engineer: Walker Structural Engineering
Civil Engineer: Hickman, Williams & Associates
Mechanical Engineer: Interface Engineering
Landscaping: JBattleson | Design
Subcontractors and Suppliers:
Action Pride Cabinetry, Inc., Bell Hardware, Bend Commercial Glass, Bend Cabinet & Fixtures, Inc., Central Oregon Heating and Cooling, Chown Hardware, Classic Coverings, Concrete Shop, Inc., Deschutes Painting, Inc., Elite Electric, LLC, Energy Conservation Insulation Co., Energy Trust of Oregon, Fabulous Floors, Inc., Grizzly Mountain Excavation, LLC, Griffin Construction, Grizzly Mountain Excavation, JKD Construction, Kingspan, Land Effects, Inc., Mike’s Fence Center, Moye’s Drywall, Inc., North Country Building Specialties, LLC, Redbuilt, River Roofing, LLC, Severson Fire Protection, Inc., Severson Plumbing & Mechanical, Inc., Sierra Pacific Windows, Stedman Sheet Metal, Inc, Sunburst Fabrications, Inc., ThyssenKrupp Elevator Corp., Truss Components, Ultra Quiet Floors, Western Protective Coatings
