Goleta leaders and business owners celebrated the opening of the new Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital a little early this week, since the local hospital is the centerpiece of this year’s Goleta Magazine.
The Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce unveiled its annual 56-page magazine during an after-hours event Wednesday, where lovers of the Good Land gathered at the recently renovated Goodland Hotel for local drinks, fare and networking by the pool.
Attendees stood less than a five-minute drive from the nearly complete new Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital, which is set to open its doors to the public in July.
The two-story, 152,000-square-foot building just south of the current Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital at 351 S. Patterson Ave. could receive its certificate of occupancy in May and begin hosting open house events for community members in June.
Goleta Valley Chamber President/CEO Kristen Miller revealed the cover of the 2015 Goleta Magazine during the launch party, thanking everyone who helped put the publication together.
“What a perfect place to party,” she said.
As an exclusive guide to living and playing in the Good Land, Goleta Magazine provides information about local businesses, real estate, tourism and more.
Hospital Vice President Arie Dejong extended thanks as well, mainly for the staunch community support shown to his team.
He highlighted some features of the new facility, including more than doubling the size of the existing Emergency Department with 20 rooms instead of the current eight.
“We just can’t wait to open that to you,” Dejong said.
The new Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital will replace the original, which was built in 1966 but did not meet new state seismic safety standards. It has been open and operating throughout construction.
Completion follows years of delays for the $126 million project, which will boast 52 beds with private rooms, compared with the 122 beds in semi-private rooms the current hospital is licensed to serve.
— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.