9/23 Groundbreaking Ceremony

NorthStar VETS Breaks Ground for New Animal Specialty Hospital in Robbinsville, N.J.
New Comprehensive Hospital for Animals Will Provide Highly Sophisticated Specialty, Emergency and Trauma Care

ROBBINSVILLE, N.J., September 23, 2009- The increased demand for sophisticated veterinary medicine has led to the construction of a new 33,000-square-foot veterinary specialty and emergency trauma center in Robbinsville, N.J. The center, will replace the existing 5200-square-foot NorthStar VETS hospital formerly known as Veterinary Surgical and Diagnostic Specialists facility in Millstone Township, N.J.
Joined by the Honorable Mayor David Fried of Robbinsville Township, Councilwoman Sheree McGowan, Christine Ciaccio, Councilman Vincent J. Calcagno, David L. Boyne, and Council President Rich Levesque NorthStar VETS celebrated their Groundbreaking Ceremony on a beautiful sunny afternoon. Over 50 people attended including community leaders, business owners, NorthStar team, doctors, and pet lovers alike to commemorate a monumental moment in the commitment to saving animals lives!
Headed by Daniel Stobie, DVM, MS, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, the new facility will be among the state's largest and most sophisticated veterinary specialty and trauma hospital. NorthStar VETS will provide comprehensive services in surgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology, oncology, radiology, dermatology, emergency care, critical care, cardiology, stem cell therapy, physical therapy, theriogenology (small animal reproductive medicine), and much more.
Development began in the spring of 2009 on the $9 million veterinary hospital, located on a 3-acre parcel at 315 Robbinsville-Allentown Rd. Once it is fully underway, the new facility is scheduled to open in the summer of 2010, and will employ over 150 people, including 37 specialists and emergency clinicians, and treat about 375 animals a week, said Brie Messier, Hospital Administrator.
The hospital will be fully staffed and prepared to admit emergency cases 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and provide critical care in a specialized intensive care unit. Further, as a Level 1 trauma center, the hospital will be unique in having a team dedicated to treating trauma patients. Except in cases of emergency, where patients will then be referred by primary care veterinarians from throughout the region. Adding to the concept of highly attentive care, the facility will maintain its higher-than-average support staff to doctor ratio which has been proven to facilitate the successful delivery of efficient, quality service to patients, pet owners and referring veterinarians. The facility, designed by Jeffrey L. Grogan Architects of Conshohocken, Pa., will include four surgical suites, an MRI machine, a CT scanner, a radiology treatment center and quarantine areas. The two-story building will have separate feline and canine wards as well as a first-in-its-class dog-walking portico. In addition to cats and dogs, the facility will treat hobby farm animals, such as goats, sheep and chickens, as well as exotic pets, such as reptiles, Messier said.
In addition to dealing with complex medical demands, Sweetwater has faced site-related challenges in constructing the new facility. The location is the site of a former farm, featuring 200-year-old trees that the hospital has managed to preserve. Elements of the old farmhouse, including hand-hewn beams and brick walls, will be incorporated into the new structure, which means that the old farmhouse was carefully dismantled rather than simply knocked down.
The preservation of the mature trees as well as the incorporation of the features from the old farmhouse will aid in creating the kind of comfortable, welcoming environment that is paramount to the hospital culture and high standards of service, Messier said. The hospital will strive to create an intimate, personalized atmosphere through the open design and layout of the public areas, which are infused with rich colors and textures. The design is the result of a three-year collaboration between hospital staff and architect.
The pre-construction and construction management services are being provided by Sweetwater Construction Corporation based in Cranbury, N.J., a recognized leader in New Jersey construction management and general contracting. Sweetwater was chosen because of its track record in constructing sophisticated medical facilities that require experience in such areas as sterility, medical gases, sound abatement and air flow, Messier said.

"Sweetwater is very pleased to be working on this state-of-the-art veterinary hospital," said Ron Witt Sr., president of Sweetwater Construction Corp. "We are familiar with the complexities of building highly sophisticated medical facilities such as this one, which includes surgical areas, isolation areas and highly complex medical equipment."
The hospital is at the forefront of a nationwide trend to provide exceptional medical care to pets, Messier said. She attributed the demand to the close relationship between people and their pets that is fostered in a culture that recognizes the benefits of owning a pet to their owner's health and well-being, as well to as a willingness to pay for a higher level of medical care.
"The role of the pet has changed. Cats and dogs are now full-time companions," Messier said. "Pet owners, regardless of their incomes, feel a greater sense of responsibility for the care of their pets that did not exist in generations past."