Delos M. Cosgrove, MD - Cleveland Clinic CEO and President
Cleveland Clinic has seen a lot of construction over the past 20 years. We all share the thrill when a new excavation begins. We all feel the pride when the doors open to welcome patients, families and visitors. But the excitement surrounding the completion of the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Pavilion and Glickman Tower is something new. You could sense it back when we turned the first shovels of dirt: These buildings would be like nothing else we’d ever done. Over the following months, we watched excavators hollow out the earth, removing 60 dump trucks full of dirt a day. We watched elevator shafts and stairwells pierce the sky. We got used to the construction fences, the noise, and the constant and colorful presence of construction personnel. Then one morning, the construction fences came down; the sun sparkled on the great, glinting façade, and we realized that it was almost finished. I had seen dozens of renderings and blueprints of these building over the years. But I never imagined how grand and impressive they would be once they were finished.
These buildings have a real presence. They stand for something. What they stand for is the highest ideals of medicine, expressed in the mission, vision and values of Cleveland Clinic. They are solid and commanding, like our four cornerstones of quality, innovation, teamwork and service.
As I cross Euclid Avenue toward the new buildings, I’m glad that we were able to commission landscape architect Peter Walker to give our campus a more park like setting. Our idea has been to use landscaping to tie the various elements of our three-square mile campus together.
I’m pleased by the way the new entrance drive is coming together, with trees and reflecting pools. For patients arriving off Chester Avenue, it will be an attractive route to the magnificent open space with its water feature and circular drive.
(Actually, the most important thing about our circular drive is that it is now so much more convenient to pick up and drop off patients.)
When our entire landscaping project is finished, this portion of Euclid Avenue will be greener and more pedestrian friendly than it has been for generations.
The imposing exteriors of the Miller Family Pavilion and Glickman Tower tell us that they are serious buildings, where serious work will be done. Behind these high walls of gleaming glass, the most skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals anywhere will fight the never-ending battle against disease; dedicated researchers will continue the quest for new treatments and cures; mentor and teachers will train new generations of healers.
I’d like to thank all our Cleveland Clinic staff physicians and scientists for the tremendous work they do, which is reflected in the quality and dignity of these new buildings.
In my next blog entry, I’ll tell you how we have equipped these buildings to be formidable tools of patient care, research and education.
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