Orlando Health Center for Rehabilitation Project Tour

Directions: North of the intersection of Hempel Ave and Old Winter Garden Rd.

The Orlando Health Center for Rehabilitation is not a typical nursing home. Located on a hospital campus, the design vision creates a destination rehab hotel offering exceptional medical care.

The Center features 110-beds licensed as skilled nursing, two top floors for 60 post-acute rehab patients canted toward views and natural light, a main level wing of 40 hospice beds, and an open yet secure 40-resident ground floor household model of memory care.

PROJECT BACKGROUND: Founded on a West Orange County Healthcare District Funding Grant, Health Central Hospital initiated the development of a new skilled nursing facility (SNF) using 110 of the 228 existing SNF beds from Orlando Health’s Health Central Park in Winter Garden, FL. In 2016, KTH Architects, Inc. (KTH) was engaged for the architectural planning and design of a new structure to house 60-beds for Post-Acute Rehabilitation, 40-beds of Memory Care, and 10-beds of Hospice Care to be operated by Cornerstone Hospice. The site for the structure was generally defined to be within undeveloped southeast corner of the Health Central Hospital campus along Old Winter Garden Road. Working with civil engineering consultants GAI Consultants (GAI), structural engineering consultants Master Consulting Engineers (MCE), and mechanical/electrical engineering consultants TLC, KTH proposed the creation of a hospitality-based model of destination rehabilitation and healthcare. The structure, constructed by Gilbane, is scheduled to open in July 2019.

UNIQUE PROJECT FEATURES: The concept of destination rehabilitation has evolved to be a four-story resort hotel environment with a prominent main entrance and glass canopy aligned with Hempel Avenue with direct access from the south at Old Winter Garden Road. Taking advantage of the natural drop in grade to the north, Memory Care residents will occupy the Ground Floor level in a natural setting with 24/7 secured outdoor access. The Main First Floor level presents a resort-type environment with a Rooftop Terrace, a Rehab Therapy Gym (inpatient and outpatient), a Resident and Visitor Café, a Concierge-type Reception and Administration areas, and a dedicated Hospice Care Wing. Connected via three full-service elevators, the Second and Third Floors each contain two, 15-patient stay bed Wings with therapeutically canted room orientations to outside views and light. This canted oriented creates a rhythm of corridor alcoves emulating a luxury hotel while supporting progressive patient therapy.