A symbolic chapter in The Power of Penn Medicine Campaign drew to a close in late April, as work crews prepared to install the final supporting beam in the new Pavilion at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
In celebration of this milestone, members of the Penn community were invited to become a part of campus history by making their mark on the final beam—a 31-foot, 1.5-ton steel support—which was displayed for two days in Edward W. Kane Park on Spruce Street. Hundreds of staff, faculty, and students added their signatures to the beam during the two-day stretch.
The final signatures were added by leaders within the University and the Perelman School of Medicine, including Amy Gutmann, University of Pennsylvania President; Wendell Pritchett, Provost; J. Larry Jameson, Executive Vice President, University of Pennsylvania for the Health System and Dean, Perelman School of Medicine; Ralph Muller, CEO, University of Pennsylvania Health System; Kevin Mahoney, Executive Vice President, University of Pennsylvania Health System and Executive Vice Dean, Perelman School of Medicine; Richard W. Vague, Chair,The Power of Penn Medicine Campaign; Janet Haas, Martin Kanovsky, and Mindy Gray, Penn Medicine Campaign Vice Chairs; Andrew Heyer, Chair, Penn Medicine Board; and others. Even the Penn Quaker was on hand, joining the group for a celebratory photo to mark the occasion.
The beam was lifted by crane and set into place a few weeks later, as cameras rolled to capture the action. Watch the video below to see the operation in progress (footage copyright Daniel Burke Photography).
https://youtu.be/c4cyeA0dfqU
The Pavilion is the largest capital building project in Penn’s history. This $1.5 billion project, slated to open in 2021, will house 500 private patient rooms and 47 operating rooms in a state-of-the-art, 17-story building. Supporters of The Power of Penn Medicine Campaign are making this innovative facility a reality, laying the groundwork for the next chapter in advanced health care here in Philadelphia.
The Power of Penn Medicine Campaign
