LANSING - An expansion project at Sparrow Hospital will provide more places for patients and the vehicles that bring them there.

In January, Granger Construction and the building trades began digging the foundations for a six-level parking deck containing 1,200 parking spaces on Sparrow's campus here. In a few weeks, Sparrow Health System is also expected to get state approval to begin construction on a 190,000 square-foot west wing addition which will primarily provide additional surgical beds.

The parking deck, which will be erected atop an old parking lot, is expected to be complete in December.

"We've been short on parking for many years," said Sparrow's John West, director of facility development. "This parking structure should take care of our needs for the next five years. So far the project is on schedule, within budget and we haven't had any surprises."

Plans for the west wing addition are still incomplete, but construction is expected to start in mid-April. The addition, which will be lodged between the parking deck and the existing hospital, will create space for 30 additional private and semi-private beds in the medical-surgical unit.

The new space provided by the project will allow Sparrow to downsize all of the four-bed wards in the existing hospital which have been unpopular with patients because of privacy concerns.

West declined to put a price tag on the new construction.

EXCAVATING AROUND a perimeter wall at the new Sparrow Hospital parking deck is (at right) Ronald Jacobs of Operating Engineers Local 324.

The parking structure is being built on property west of the hospital.