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Ventura County Star (CA)
June 1, 2001 Section: Business Edition: Ventura Page: D01
Spinal Top That strange looking structure taking shape off Highway 101 in Thousand Oaks is exactly what it looks like: A building with a backbone. When it opens in about six weeks the 29000-square-foot facility with what looks to be a giant's spine on its roof will be the home of the California Spine Institute Medical Center 1001 Newbury Road. The $13 million project is the dream of Dr. John C. Chiu a Thousand Oaks spine surgeon. "We wanted a place that is state-of-the-art and where we could bring everything we do together" said Chiu who has practiced in Thousand Oaks for more than 20 years. "We're expanding everything we do on an out-patient basis." The rooftop spine is only the most highly visible of the features the facility will have. At night floodlighted areas of the roof will look like attached ribs said John Melton construction superintendent for the contractor Wesley Thomas Enterprises Inc. of Thousand Oaks. Among the facilities inside will be three ambulatory surgery rooms digital computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging diagnostic scanning systems and two therapeutic pools one that produces a current patients can swim against to more quickly rebuild their strength. Chiu's son Stanley an architect conceived much of the building's design including the rooftop spine and a distinctive cultured stone veneer on the front said Nancy Carmichael Chiu's controller who is coordinating the project. Architect of record for the project is S.P.F. Architects of Los Angeles which recently won an award for its design of the Pantages Theater restoration project in Hollywood. The building will replace and significantly expand Chiu's offices currently located at 2100 Lynn Road near Los Robles Regional Medical Center. About 50 people will be employed there working in such departments as orthopedics sports and hydrotherapy rehabilitation and alternative medicine Carmichael said. Acupuncture will be among the treatments offered in that department. A native of Shanghai China Chiu earned his medical degree at Baylor University and did his internship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minn. He has treated patients from throughout the UnitedStates and many areas of the world including Saudi Arabia China and Europe. His Web site www.spinecenter.com appears in six languages. Located just off Highway 101 the building should be seen easily by up to 250000 commuters who pass it daily Chiu said. Inside it will be open and airy and will include a pharmacy. Chiu is the author of numerous books articles and scientific research papers on various conditions and afflictions of the back. -- Jim McLain's e-mail address is jmclain@insidevc.com. |
