St. Rita’s Graduate Medical Education (GME) Center was designed to serve medical students during their residency as a space to learn and study. Each space was designed to precisely mimic the clinical environments in an actual hospital, with equipment and materials that would be used in real world scenarios. Also integrated into the design were a variety of study spaces, uniquely designed based on their nearness to different areas such as the simulation suite, auditorium, and library. Several design and construction decisions for St. Rita’s GME were based on the metaphor of a threshold. This represents the origin of future doctors who will use this space, learning and developing their skills to positively impact the region. It speaks to a new threshold of health, education, and livelihood for both the students and the people who live nearby. The building’s ultimate purpose is to usher in the next generation of doctors and shift Lima, Ohio, into a destination location for medical education and an excellent health system.
St. Rita’s GME sits on the corner of two main streets downtown, with large windows to let in natural light and create a bright, airy environment inside that is reminiscent of the outdoors. The space includes flex conference rooms, an auditorium, a library, a computer lab, study labs, simulation suites, open offices, and a third level that serves as future growth space, for the everchanging nature of medicine.
Project category: New construction
Chief administrator: Andy Stechschulte, director of facilities, Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center
Firm: Design Collaborative Inc., designcollaborative.com
Design team: Design Collaborative Inc. (architecture, MEP, lighting, interior design); Tuttle Services Inc. (general contractor); Engineering Resources Inc. (civil and
structural engineering); RTM Consultants Inc. (code consultant)
Total building area (sq. ft.): 45,200
Construction cost/sq. ft.: $270
Total construction cost (excluding land): $12.2 million
Completed: April 2021
