Eddie watches carefully as a 12,000 pound column lowered into place at the Loma Linda University Medical Center’s construction site. The Shuff Steel ironworker is a plumb up foreman, ensuring that the new building is plumb, or straight, as each floor rises.
After four years of trade school, including an apprenticeship, Eddie has worked on several high-rise construction projects in the Los Angeles area before getting involved on the Loma Linda project. But working here in Loma Linda is particularly rewarding for Eddie.
“I have really been excited about the possibility of working on this Loma Linda Hospital project,” Eddie said. “In fact, my wife and I have been excited about it for the last two years." Pointing to the current Medical Center building, he said, "I was born in this hospital in 1983, and then our son was born here in 2012."
The ongoing construction, which began approximately two years ago, is a part of Loma Linda University Health’s Vision 2020 – The Campaign for a Whole Tomorrow. New buildings for both hospitals will meet and exceed California’s upcoming seismic requirements for hospitals. Also, the Inland Empire region’s health care needs have rapidly increased. As the only Level 1 Regional Trauma Center in the Inland Empire and only dedicated Children’s Hospital, the new facilities will allow Loma Linda University Health to meet the growing needs of its community.
Eddie’s expertise will ensure that the new Medical Center towers are plumb and square. Hundreds of his ironworker coworkers continue to spend countless hours maneuvering and setting beams, doing their part to ensure that Loma Linda University Health will continue “To Make Man Whole” for years to come.
You can follow the rise of the towers on a daily basis by checking the construction web cams.
We're sharing photographic updates of the hospital construction work on a periodic basis. Watch for special emphasis on some of the behind-the-scenes-views and untold stories at the Vision 2020 website.
Dennis Park has photographed and chronicled the tremendous changes that have taken place on the Loms Linda University Health campus over the past five decades. He continues that work as he documents this important part of the campus renewal effort. Follow his work at his construction blog, www.docuvision2020.com.
