PORT ANGELES — Olympic Medical Center approved a $743,855 architectural, engineering and design contract for its expanded emergency room Wednesday night.
The public hospital district is taking on debt to fund the $8.3 million expansion. The 21-room department is slated to be open for business by 2013.
Hospital commissioners voted 7-0 to approve the contract with Scherer Associates. The Olympia-based architect was chosen from a list of four finalists.
OMC officials say the expanded emergency room will meet the community’s needs for the next 20 years.
“The emergency room is a core service that we prove the community,” Commissioner John Nutter said.
The project is being funded by a $10 million limited tax general obligation bond that will be paid back over 10½ years at a fixed rate of 2.9 percent. Commissioners approved the bond last month.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.