KALAMAZOO - Building trades workers and medical personnel are trying to keep out of each other's way during ongoing renovations at Borgess Medical Center.

Phase 3 of a $106 million renovation program at the hospital is ongoing through this year, which primarily includes the transformation of the majority of existing semi-private rooms into 79 private rooms. The trades are also working on a woman's health center.

"As the hospital personnel vacate the various areas, we go in and convert the rooms," said Hisko Timmermans, a Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Local 357 member and foreman for Mall City Mechanical. "Most of the rooms are being converted into single-occupancy for patients."

He said about a dozen trades workers from Mall City are working around hospital personnel.

The ongoing work follows the 2003 construction of a 900-space patient parking structure (Phase I), the August 2005 opening of the 144,000 square-foot Outpatient Diagnostic and Treatment Center (Phase II).

AN ELECTRICAL PANEL is removed at Borgess by Keith Hewitt of IBEW Local 131 and Moore Electric, in preparation for demolition of the area.

HEFTING COPPER pipe through a floor under renovation at Borgess Medical Center is Scott Robertson of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Local 357 and Mall City Mechanical.