Desa ParkCity to start work on new hospital

KUALA LUMPUR: Desa Parkcity developer, Perdana ParkCity Sdn Bhd, will soon begin work on the Sime Darby Medical Centre Parkcity, and it is scheduled for completion in 2012, said Perdana ParkCity group CEO Lee Liam Chye.

The construction, which sits on a 5.03-acre site, is estimated to cost RM143 million, and includes a nine-storey hospital with 300 beds and a six-storey parking lot with 708 parking bays. The floor area for eacg building is 348,330 sq ft and 213,080 sq ft respectively.

The nine-storey hospital includes a three-storey podium consisting of full service outpatients clinics and advanced diagnostic services with a six-storey ward tower.

"We are building the hospital on a design, built and lease concept, according to the specification of Sime Darby Healthcare. The leasehold agreement is for a period of 15 years. The construction cost for the hospital alone is RM117 million and the parking lot is RM25 million," Lee told reporters after the ground-breaking ceremony of Sime Darby Medical Centre ParkCity.

The event was also attended by Sime Darby Healthcare group director, Datuk Tunku Putra Badlishah Tunku Annuar and the director-general of KL City Hall, Datuk Salleh Yusup.

Lee added that the car park is provided by ParkCity and would be operated by ParkCity as it is not part of the agreement. He said that the hospital is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2013 with Sime Darby Healthcare as the operator.

Lee said that as the developer, ParkCity is also looking at making the proposed hospital a green certified building and will "strive for a GBI (green building index) certification".

The design of the building includes an indoor garden and a centre court featuring water features and greenery.

Lee also said that Perdana ParkCity is exploring the viability of providing rented accommodation "in the form of hotels and/or service apartments"  for friends and families of the local and overseas patients at the Sime Darby Medical Centre ParkCity.

Meanwhile, Tunku Putra Badlishah Tunku Annuar said that the new hospital would be the fourth hospital under the Sime Darby brand.

The other three are Sime Darby Megah Specialist Centre, which was launched in August 2009; the Sime Darby Ara Damansara Medical Centre, which was recently acquired and scheduled to open next year; and the Sime Darby Subang Jaya Medical Centre.

"Our hope is that by 2013 our revenue in the healthcare division would double from what have now as there would be four operating hospitals. Currently only two are in operation, namely the Subang Jaya and Megah hospital. With the Ara Damansara and ParkCity (hospitals) in operation, the revenue will double," Tunku Putra Badlishah said.

He added that the revenue target is a reasonable one for the Malaysian conglomerate healthcare division, and that it would continue to evaluate opportunities for expansion purposes.

On the partnership with ParkCity, Tunku Putra Badlishah said that it was a "win-win situation" as Sime Darby Healthcare can focus on the management and operational aspects of the hospital and would not have to deal with constructing it.

The new hospital site is located next to the proposed international school in Desa ParkCity and in close proximity to the Selayang-Kepong Highway as well as the LDP and NKVE.

Meanwhile, Salleh said that considering the forecast of the residential population in Desa ParkCity would reach 35,000 by 2020, the private medical facility would definitely be welcomed by the residents.

He added that the new hospital is also able to cater to the needs of nearby residential neighborhoods Kepong, Bandar Sri Damansara, Damansara Perdana, Mutiara Damansara, Kota Damansara and Bandar Utama.