An inside look at Needham's hospital expansion

Construction on the new wing at the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham is in the final stages. When completed, the 37,000 square foot addition will feature a new emergency room, main entrance, magnetic resonance imaging suite and 20 additional private inpatient rooms. The $30 million addition is scheduled to open October 3, 2009.

Boston.com/needham recently reported that the hospital now has a new energy saving electrical system, which hospital officials consider a milestone in the extensive expansion project.

Hospital officials and construction supervisors offered a guided tour to the media and invited guests Thursday evening. Town Correspondent Kathryn Eident snapped a few photos during the walk-through.

The tour group waits to be ushered into the construction area.

The tour enters the new emergency room entrance.

Construction Superintendent Jason Harding welcomes the tour inside.

Stacks of materials sit ready to be used in the emergency room lobby.

The lobby will eventually look like this artist's rendering.

The emergency room waiting area features nine-foot-tall windows to let plenty of light in.

Drawings laid out to help guide the construction crew through the final stages.

The addition will also feature a new, expanded main entrance, situated near the existing entrance.

The entrance will eventually look like this artist's rendering.

The tour must use temporary stairs to enter the second floor of the new wing.

This second floor room may be used for consultations once completed.

A temporary staircase links the first and second floors. The space will eventually feature a decorative staircase.

Construction is scheduled to be completed this August. The wing is scheduled to open in early October.