Yale Opens New “Green” Health Center

New Haven, Conn. — Yale Health Center, a full-service medical center for students, faculty, staff and their dependents, will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year in a brand new light-filled building on 55 Lock St. All Yale Health Center departments are fully operational today.

The landmark building stands at the corner of Lock and Canal Streets, adjacent to the Rose Center, which houses both the Yale Police Department headquarters and the Dixwell-Yale Community Learning Center. The site had been long vacant until it was purchased by the University from the City of New Haven at the encouragement of the neighborhood.

“The building signifies a renewed commitment to patient care, convenience and privacy,” said Yale Health Center Director Paul Genecin, M.D.

After more than two years of construction, the flurry of activity has subsided around the new Yale Health Center location, and the move from its previous home at 17 Hillhouse Ave. is winding down. The new building offers more space, more flexibility and more clinical options—all in a fully wheelchair-accessible, sustainable facility.

First and foremost, the new center has nearly doubled the space devoted to clinical services, from an 89,000-square-foot facility built in the 1970s, to a modern 140,000-square-foot structure with an adjacent parking facility. This larger capacity means patients will have shorter waits and more privacy. Yale Health Center also offers new services, such as an expanded infusion center and an on-site MRI and has the capacity to perform more procedures at the center. The new pharmacy, located in a separate area off the main lobby, features state-of-the-art technology designed for faster customer service.

Most materials used in construction of the new Yale Health Center are environmentally friendly, with features such as a glass scoop to allow in more natural light, and a rooftop garden to serve as a healing sanctuary for patients and visitors. The building will be LEED-certified and will be the first in Connecticut to receive the Green Guide for Health Care for integrating enhanced environmental and health principles and practices into the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the facility. For patients, visitors and staff, this means exposure to fewer pollutants and more natural light.

“While a lot has changed, many things will remain the same,” said Yale Health Center director Paul Genecin, M.D. “Most especially, our dedicated staff, who will continue to provide coordinated, round-the-clock care. The design of this new space, as well as the new amenities, is all geared to our goal of helping Yale Health Center members maintain long and healthy lives.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new building took place on October 4.