UCSF Benioff Oakland Convenes Historic Design Advisory Group
Community experts will provide considerations for commemorating the hospital’s proud past as it writes the next chapter in its story.
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland has convened a Historic Design Advisory Group to recommend ways the project could incorporate the historic nature and elements from the current site into the new hospital building design.
The recommendations from local experts and community members are part of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals’ efforts to modernize the Oakland campus, investing $1.5 billion to strengthen its nationally recognized trauma care, while upgrading the facility to better serve children in the East Bay and throughout Northern California.
“UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland started in a carriage house on the hospital grounds and has grown, evolving to meet the health care needs of the children of our community,” said Alicia Murasaki, UCSF assistant vice chancellor of campus planning and campus architect. “As we look forward to providing cutting-edge health care, we want to make sure we honor our past.”
The historic design group includes five advisers:
- Alicia Murasaki (chair), UCSF assistant vice chancellor and campus architect
- Gretchen Boyce, historic resource consultant and founder of Groundwork Planning & Preservation
- Alison Lenci, City of Oakland Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board member
- Jonathan Coates, senior construction manager at Kitchell
- Rick da Silva, patient parent and member of the UCSF Benioff Oakland Community Advisory Board
The historic design group includes five advisers:
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Alicia Murasaki (chair), UCSF assistant vice chancellor and campus architect
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Gretchen Boyce, historic resource consultant and founder of Groundwork Planning & Preservation
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Alison Lenci, City of Oakland Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board member
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Jonathan Coates, senior construction manager at Kitchell
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Rick da Silva, patient parent and member of the UCSF Benioff Oakland Community Advisory Board
Pave the way to save even more children like Izzy
Made up of local experts in historic preservation, construction and architecture, among other areas of expertise, the advisory group will work to recognize UCSF Benioff Oakland’s past by honoring the vision of a handful of Oakland women who — in 1912 — created the baby hospital that later became UCSF Benioff Oakland.
As we look forward to providing cutting-edge health care, we want to make sure we honor our past.”
Among the advisers is Rick da Silva who, with his wife Christie, chose UCSF Benioff Oakland when they learned early in Christie’s pregnancy that their daughter would have a heart defect. Within 24 hours of birth, Izzy was rushed to UCSF Benioff Oakland’s newborn intensive care unit and later underwent open heart surgery at just 3 months old.
“Izzy has had two successful open-heart surgeries at UCSF Benioff Oakland, and we will be forever grateful to the amazing Oakland staff who saved our daughter’s life not once but twice,” said da Silva, who now sits on the UCSF Benioff Oakland Community Advisory Board. “As a grateful parent, I am proud to know that as we commemorate UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland’s proud past, we pave the way to save even more children like Izzy.”
UCSF Benioff Oakland is one of just six pediatric trauma centers in California to be certified as a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons in recognition of its outstanding, comprehensive care. The modernization aims to maintain and improve this best-in-class facility to serve families like the da Silvas far into the future.