Regents OK Funds for New Hospital

The University of California Board of Regents has allocated $235 million for construction of a new hospital at UCI Medical Center in Orange. Final approval from the state Department of Finance could come as early as next month, officials announced recently.

The money, which will come from a state bond measure, will help the aging center meet the state’s new seismic requirement for hospitals to retrofit or rebuild structures to withstand major earthquakes, university Chancellor Ralph J. Cicerone said.

UCI’s trauma center provides nearly 50% of trauma care for the county. The $235 million will cover the costs of building a new main hospital and retrofitting the medical tower building and support facilities.

The nonprofit hospital hopes to raise additional money from the community or other sources to meet all of its construction goals, the cost of which have not yet been determined.

“We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to build a state-of-the-art hospital for the Orange County community,” Cicerone said in a written statement.