“New” James Tower Opens In Central Area

Recently, Sabey Corp. joined state and community leaders in officially opening the James Tower Life Sciences Building, which brings some 3,000 new, primary jobs and approximately $50 million in annual salaries to Seattle’s Central Area. The grand opening celebration also featured the first James Tower Community Health Fair, attracting an estimated 1,000 local residents who had the opportunity to meet their new James Tower neighbors and take advantage of Swedish Medical Center health screenings and other wellness resources. “The newly renovated and expanded James Tower will deliver a strong economic boost and thousands of jobs to the Central District,” said Sen. Maria Cantwell, who joined in today’s grand opening celebration. “Building on Washington state’s world-class reputation for medical advances, this beautiful facility will serve as a major center for technology and research, while delivering top-notch health care to the entire region.” The $65 million project renovated and expanded the original Providence Hospital by adding 68,000 square feet of new space to the Seattle landmark. The 308,000-square-foot, brick and concrete building retains its distinctive beaux-arts architecture, with the new core flanked on three sides by the original structure, all of which has been renovated and retrofitted to current standards. Now a state-of-the-art facility for academic, research, laboratory and medical office use, James Tower’s high-tech space is home to leading life sciences and medical businesses and organizations, including: Seattle CyberKnife, which provides state-of-the-art, minimally invasive radiation treatments that can be used as an alternative to open surgery, revolutionizing the field of radiosurgery; Seattle University College of Nursing Clinical Performance Lab, which will open in the 2005 fall term for 480 nursing students, 57 professors and seven staff; and Swedish Heart Institute’s Center for CadioVascular Wellness, offering cardiac, vascular and pulmonary rehabilitation, risk reduction, lifestyle and weight management, smoking cessation and on-site exercise programs. “James Tower is a wonderful addition to the Central District that will bring new health-care companies and leaders to the area,” said Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, another participant in the celebration. “The commitment and investment by Sabey Corporation, Swedish Medical Center and all James Tower tenants continues this building’s proud tradition for another millennium.” James Tower is part of the Swedish Medical Center/Providence Campus, the site envisioned as a key piece of the world-class Seattle Heart Alliance and Seattle Neuroscience Institute. According to Dr. Rayburn Lewis, vice president of Medical Affairs at Swedish, the two entities make Seattle a premier center for the most progressive medical and surgical treatments for heart and neurological conditions. “The physical changes at the Swedish Providence Campus continue at a rapid pace, which bodes well for our vision of cardiovascular and neurological patients coming from around the world, seeking the best in care and technology,” Lewis said. James Tower’s current and future on-site amenities include a 200-seat auditorium, conference rooms, access to a pharmacy, full-service cafeteria, gift and flower shop, coffee shop, espresso stand, newsstand and ATM machine. According to David Sabey, Sabey Corporation president, more than 50 percent of James Tower is already occupied or committed. “James Tower is proud to be Seattle’s newest Central District neighbor and member of the growing life sciences and medical community,” Sabey said. “This historic building’s preservation honors the legacy of Mother Joseph and the Sisters of Providence and, at the same time, contributes momentum to the positive social and health capital being built in this area. We are delighted to make a long-term commitment here.”