McCarthy has recently completed reconstruction of the Ronald McDonald House Family Room inside CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital. Approximately $225,000 in construction work and materials were donated to complete this 852-square-foot remodel.
The $300,000 project, which began on August 25, 2008, included demolition and reconstruction of two sleep rooms, a kitchen area and family room. Contractors gutted the space and installed new lighting, drywall, carpeting, ceiling tile, casework and paint. Once construction was completed earlier this month, the renovated space was furnished with new chairs, couches, lamps, toys, books, artwork and an existing 42 inch flat panel television. McCarthy also donated two new computers for volunteer and visitor use.
With architectural design by RBB Architects Inc. of Los Angeles and interior design provided by Correy Design Group of Huntington Beach, the renovated Family Room predominantly features wood cabinetry that divides the space into different areas for volunteer activity, dining, watching television, computer use, relaxation and children’s activities. One of the rooms interesting design elements is a multi-colored block patterned wall with protruding bamboo embedded square shaped Plexiglas. The unique wall treatment’s shapes and colors are echoed in the flooring and wall tiles.
Two remodeled sleep rooms, a kitchen and bathroom with a shower are located adjacent to the main family room. The kitchen and bath areas were updated with matching wood cabinetry, new countertops, sink fixtures, lighting and appliances. To maximize space and flexibility, two comfortable and inviting sleep rooms were designed with a Murphy bed that converts into a desk and a sleeper sofa that dually functions for sitting and sleeping.
“Parents simply can’t be in their child’s hospital room all of the time,” said Deborah Levy, Orange County Ronald McDonald House Executive Director. “The Ronald McDonald Family Room makes all the difference in coping with what otherwise could have been an unbearable experience. The design of the new Family Room now functions more effectively and provides crucial amenities for parents to nap, shower, grab a bite to eat, yet still be down the hall from their hospitalized child.”
Spearheaded by McCarthy I.S. Engineer Ray LaTour, McCarthy volunteers helped with the project through the McCarthy Heart Hats, a volunteer community outreach group which enables McCarthy employees to dedicate time and resources to community involvement on paid workdays. Through its relationship with subcontractors and vendors, McCarthy was also able to secure additional volunteers and donations from companies such as Appolo Electric, ISEC Inc., PCI, Martin Integrated, Hasson Inc., Johnson and Turner Painting, Premier Tile and Minka Group. RBB architects, KPFF Engineering and Correy Design group also donated services for this project. Ronald McDonald House additionally received donations for carpet and installation services from Shaw Carpet and Universal Flooring. All of the audio visual and sound equipment were donated and installed by Genesis Audio.
“We could not have done this renovation project without the support of McCarthy,” explained Levy. “McCarthy took the leadership role in securing thousands of dollars worth of donations for the project. They also helped guide us through the complex process of building something inside of a hospital and were true miracle workers! McCarthy will leave a lasting legacy on thousands of families they will never meet who will utilize the Ronald McDonald Family Room inside of CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital.”
Since 2006, the Heart Hats have provided construction and other services and donations to six Ronald McDonald Houses or facilities in California. “Ronald McDonald House is a charity close to our hearts,” said LaTour. “McCarthy builds many children’s hospitals and some of the children of our employees have experienced first-hand the wonderful and caring services these hospitals provide. We hope our most recent efforts remodeling the new Ronald McDonald Family Room inside of CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital will help ease the daily tribulations and struggles of families with seriously ill children.”
McCarthy as well as many of the contractors and consultants involved in the Ronald McDonald House Family Room project are experienced healthcare builders that are currently constructing the new four-level Mission Hospital Patient Care Tower in Mission Viejo. Other notable healthcare projects in Orange County being built or recently completed by McCarthy include the Center for Cancer Prevention and Treatment at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange; the St. Joseph Hospital Patient Care Center and the Sue & Bill Gross Women’s Pavilion at Hoag Hospital.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities, Southern California (RMHCSC)
For more than 30 years, RMHCSC has been committed to providing comfort, care and support to children and families in Southern California. RMHCSC is dedicated to creating a community where children and their families embrace life and healing with a sense of hope, enthusiasm, courage and joy. RMHCSC operates four Ronald McDonald Houses, Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, two Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, and four scholarship programs. The Ronald McDonald Houses, located in Loma Linda, Los Angeles, Orange and Pasadena, with one on the way in Long Beach, provide shelter, support and comfort for families of children receiving treatment at nearby medical facilities. Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times provides free sleep-away camp experiences for kids with cancer and their families. The Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, located in Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange and Mission Viejo, provide the comfort and care of a Ronald McDonald House to a hospital setting. The four scholarship programs have awarded more than $3 million in college scholarships to deserving high school seniors since 1990.
About CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital
CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital is housed in a state-of-the-art medical facility on the 5th floor of Mission Hospital’s patient care tower. While it operates as a separately licensed pediatric facility with its own medical staff, CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital is linked to Mission Hospital’s regional trauma center, high-level obstetric and perinatal program, and ancillary services. The 48-bed “children’s hospital-within-a-hospital” is part of CHOC Children’s regional healthcare network and serves as the only dedicated pediatric health care center for families in the communities throughout South Orange County, coastal areas and North San Diego.
About McCarthy Heart Hats
The McCarthy “Heart Hats” community involvement program is dedicated to encouraging, supporting and recognizing McCarthy employees’ volunteer efforts in a variety of causes to ensure real needs are being met in communities where employees work, live and play. McCarthy employees are as passionate about building better communities as they are about construction. In addition to recognizing outstanding employee volunteers and providing a company-wide paid volunteer day, McCarthy “Heart Hats” donates countless hours of in-kind services and monetary contributions to improve communities each year.
Founded in 1864, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest commercial construction companies. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.
