The reports came during a special conference on Health Care Capital Construction hosted by the New Jersey Alliance for Action, which attracted several hundred participants. Alliance President Philip K. Beachem said the health care industry appears to represent one of the few high spots of the states construction industry.

Al Gutierrez, President & CEO, Shore Memorial Hospital

Gus Escher, Vice Chairman, NJ Health Care Facilities Financing Authority

Hollie Gilroy, Director of Communication for the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey, estimated that the health care industry over the next two years is expected to invest nearly $3.37 billion in new and renovated capital projects. She said that a recent study showed that biopharmaceutical and medical technology companies provide a $29 billion impact on New Jersey’s economy.

Brendan Middleton, Director of Communications, Saint Michael’s Medical Center

Jan Bishop, Vice President Facilities Management & Planning, Saint Clare’s Health System

Gus Escher, Vice Chairman of the New Jersey Health Care Facilities Financing Authority said that, although it is only February, the Authority already expects that it will issue $800 million in bond financing for health care capital projects this year. Brendan Middleton, Director of Communications at Saint Michael’s Medical Center, described a ten-year Broad Street redevelopment project for a 62-acre site with an estimated investment of $235 million.

Bob Peake, Director of Facilities & Construction, Atlantic Health System

Al Gutierrez, President & CEO of Shore Memorial Hospital in Somers Point, outlined a $100 million capital program for his institution.

Bob Peake, Director of Facilities & Construction at Atlantic Health System, reported that a master plan for new construction, expansion and renovation for Morristown Memorial Hospital and Overlook Hospital in Summit will represent a $400 million investment.

Jan Bishop, Vice President Facilities Management & Planning for Saint Clare’s Health System, reported on a major investment in planning capital construction will focus on new surgical facilities as the first priority.

From left, Scott Kobler, McCarter & English, Vincent Knoll, Jones Lang LaSalle, Clare Broderick, Birdsall Services Group-MJA, Stephen Hegeman, Francis Cauffman and Thomas McDonald, L.F. Driscoll Co., LLC

A panel of health care leaders on “What’s Driving Health Care Construction?” was moderated by Robert M. Gerard, Chief Marketing Coordinator at Birdsall Services Group, who was the Chairman of today’s conference. The panelists included: Vincent Knoll, Vice President of Health Care Markets-Project and Development Services at Jones Lang LaSalle; Clare Broderick, Chief Operating Officer at Birdsall Services Group – MJA; Thomas McDonald, Project Executive of L.F. Driscoll Co., LLC; Scott Kobler, Partner at McCarter & English and Stephen Hegeman, Managing Principal at Francis Cauffman.

The New Jersey Alliance for Action is non-profit, non-partisan statewide coalition comprised of business, labor, professional, academia and government members. The Alliance for Action focuses on economic development and capital construction issues in New Jersey.