Contact: Christina Boyd, Vice President, Community Relations
(607) 762-2331
Date: June 1, 2022
Background
United Health Services (UHS) has initiated a very large project for the Wilson Medical Center campus in Johnson City. The Wilson Project will develop a new, six-story, state-of-the-art clinical tower. Facing Main Street, the six-story tower will be the “front door” to UHS’ services going forward, and will feature a new trauma center and emergency department that is double in size of the existing one, a MRI suite, four inpatient units with 120 private patient rooms, a surgical support area and a new roof-top helipad. It is a 186,000 square foot addition and renovation project with a project cost of around $169 million dollars. The project will also promote improved access to specialty and ambulatory care services and be a community partner in helping to improve the health status of Greater Binghamton residents. This is the first major expansion of the UHS Wilson Medical Center campus in more than thirty years. The project will make UHS Wilson a true complement to Binghamton University’s Health Sciences Campus, with the two recently completed facilities standing adjacent to each other in the heart of the Johnson City Health & Cultural District.
An important ingredient of this project is UHS’ desire to create the spaces with artwork in mind at the outset, rather than finding art to fill spaces after the fact. This is a desire that began with the construction of the UHS Multi-Specialty Office on Vestal Parkway in 2012. In this space there are nearly 100 pieces of original art throughout patient and employee areas.
By introducing meaningful, high quality works of art into is outpatient offices and hospital buildings, UHS recognizes this influence and has worked hard to improve the overall patient experience with the use of art. The introduction of artwork into the various facilities has made many of the patient spaces more inviting, less intimidating and thus more welcoming. Over the last decade UHS has assembled a systemwide art collection that is focused on works of art created by artists primarily from the Southern Tier and reaching out into New York state. It is the vision of UHS to build upon this collection by continuing to foster the existing bond with the local arts community, and continue to showcase New York artists within its facilities in order to enhance the overall patient experience and promote healing.
UHS is looking for artworks that will inspire healing and a feeling of calm. Artworks are desired for both patient and staff areas. Colors that elicit high levels of pleasure with low levels of arousal contribute to a desired state of calm. Patients who are ill or stressed about their health may not always be comforted by abstract art and may tend to prefer landscapes and nature scenes. The spectrum of media will be considered – projection art, framed works, sculptures, acrylic window applications are among many that would be appropriate for this space.
Scope of Project
UHS will be hosting a Webex overview of the project to answer questions from artists or dealers who may be interested in submitting proposals for pieces of their art to be considered. This Webex will be hosted on June 22 at 6pm. Details are:
- We are soliciting original pieces of art, including original prints or lithographs
- Artwork should meet the criteria for appropriateness listed above, being suitable for all ages
- A total of between 200 and 230 pieces will be required for the project
- Sizes will depend on placement within the facility. We initially are looking for
- Medium pieces – 24” x 30” +/-
- Large pieces – 36” x 48” +/-
- Extra large pieces – 48” x 72” +/-
- Other sizes and freestanding pieces will also be considered.
- Interested parties should participate in an informational WEBEX to be held on June 22 at 6:00 where questions will be entertained and more information will be presented. WEBEX link below
- Initial digital submissions are due by December 1, 2022
- Completed pieces will be needed by August, 2023
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For more information on the Wilson Project, including architectural renderings of the various spaces can be found at https://www.nyuhs.org/wilson-project
