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Oracle Breaks Ground on Twin Building to
Expand Campus
By Nicole Zaro Stahl On May 19 Oracle, the world's largest enterprise software company, broke ground on its five-story, 185,000-square-foot Building Two. Slated for completion in the fall of 2009, the new office facility will become a mirror image to the existing L-shaped Building One across the courtyard. Signs of impending construction began to appear at 4510 Oracle Lane over a period of several weeks at the end of April into early May. First the fence went up, work trailers and equipment started arriving, and electric power was delivered to the site. Then all the permits were finalized. Reflecting the company’s dedication to sustainability, the facility has been designed to meet the Silver standards developed by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System. LEED is “a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings,” the council’s web site explains. While the exteriors are a match, on the inside, Building Two will sport a different look and layout from its five-year-old mate. “The new facility maintains the exterior integrity, but the interior is more Oracle-driven,” observes Roland Yamanaka, Senior Manager, Oracle Real Estate & Facilities. Featuring a combination of hard-wall and open offices, with perimeter windows for daylight, the space has been made “more usable” than the previous floor plan, Yamanaka comments. Bringing together employees from other Hacienda locations, Building Two will also house a full cafeteria and 5,000-square-foot gym. The cafeteria will be managed by Bon Appétit, a long-time preferred vendor at the company’s Redwood Shores campus. The gym will be outfitted with an exercise room, weights, and cardio workout equipment, complemented by showers and a massage room. The amenities are part of a corporate-wide emphasis on employee health and wellness, and the facility is expected to see steady use throughout the day. Another component of the project is the four-story landscaped parking structure that will replace the large rectangle of tilled earth behind the two buildings. The garage, with parking for 914 cars, will face a landscaped open-air walkway leading to the remodeled radial courtyard between the two office buildings. Plantings, a waterwall feature, and a graceful arc of trees will create an inviting setting for a few minutes of reflection or downtime. The project architect for Building Two is Gensler, and the contractor is Webcor Builders. Relocated Women’s Imaging Center
Combines High Tech and High Touch
By Nicole Zaro Stahl The recent move of the Women’s Imaging Center, from the main hospital campus of the ValleyCare Health System to the medical plaza down the street at 5725 W. Las Positas Blvd. in Hacienda, might have been short on distance, but it will certainly be long on results. Accommodating the latest in digital mammography equipment, the imaging center now shares the same building as the Regional Cancer Center at ValleyCare and the ValleyCare Health Library, consolidating a host of information, diagnostics, and treatment resources in one convenient setting. Designed by women for women, the new facility also presents a “high-touch,” relaxed, and soothing environment for its users, many of whom are engaged in a serious fight with disease. It has been part of ValleyCare’s long-range plan to house imaging services, the Cancer Center, which opened last fall in collaboration with Valley Medical Oncology Consultants, and the Health Library in one location, explains Diane Tiernan, director of Diagnostic Imaging at ValleyCare. “We wanted to make it easier for women, especially those dealing with cancer, to access state-of-the-art services along with caring and skilled professionals all under one roof.” That vision has now been realized. Digital technology significantly improves the quality of the mammogram image, particularly in younger women and those with dense breasts. Taking advantage of its higher contrast resolution, the radiologist can zoom in to look for calcifications and other abnormalities that might not be seen easily on conventional films. The mammography process itself does not change, but image verification is almost instantaneous. “There is no more waiting in the hallway for film to be processed to find out if the image is okay,” Tiernan notes. “Initially, some women may be called back for repeat screenings as old film mammograms are compared to digital images, but radiologists agree that digital technology improves the image quality and renders mammography interpretation more accurate.” Inside the imaging center, a spa-like atmosphere, reflected in the choice of wall coverings, furnishings, and color palette, provides an unaccustomed level of comfort. “We have a little more space here than in our former center, and because the facility is new we had the opportunity to create an environment that would be calm and soothing,” Tiernan says. “Our mission is to assume a leadership role for the health of the communities in the Tri-Valley. Our new imaging center is a part of that.” With expanded hours to include evenings and Saturdays as needed, the Women’s Imaging Center also provides ultrasound services and will soon add DEXA-bone densitometry equipment. To schedule an appointment, call the Diagnostic Imaging scheduling line (925) 734-3376. The ValleyCare Health Library and Ryan Comer Cancer Resource Center, also located at 5725 W. Las Positas Blvd., offer patients access to the largest collection of cancer-related educational materials in northern California and contact with cancer support groups. For details, call 925-734-3315. For more information on routine mammogram screening, visit www.valleycare.com/programs/diagnostic_imaging_services.html#mam. |
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