ST. LOUIS-Medical construction, marked in the past decade bymassive hospital planning and development projects, has reached theend of that trend, according to the HOK Healthcare Practice in theNorth Central Region. Notwithstanding many large projects in theMidwest, including the $1-billion Ohio State University MedicalCenter ProectONE in Columbus, OH, the HOK team said large-scaleconstruction will now slow down for the next few years.

Early this month, Matthew Cotton joined the company to co-leadthe region. He joins the 45-person team, partnered withChicago-based Sheila Cahnman. Cotton left design planning firmTsoi/Kobus Associates Inc. out of Boston, and says he’s joined amuch larger institution. “HOK is a global brand, and they go allthe way from planning and design to follow-up andoperation.”

Though many MOB experts believe that the new government healthcare regulations would boost medical office development, bothCotton and Cahnman say there’s too been too much uncertainty in thepast two-to-three years to have any projects of size ready to go inthe coming months. “There’s been more of an incremental approach incapital investment in the past couple of years,” Cotton says.“Hospitals are more looking to invest in revenue generators, suchas replacing outdated beds or surgical platforms. You’re going tosee more renovation projects going forward.”