Children's Hospital Los Angeles Purchases Vons Supermarket Property Next to Hospital Main Campus
Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and Vons’ parent company Albertsons announced today the completion of the purchase of the 121,729-square-foot property currently housing a Vons supermarket directly east of the hospital’s main campus on Sunset Blvd. and Vermont Ave.
Citing increasing demand for clinical pediatric services in the greater Los Angeles community, Nancy Lee, CHLA’s senior vice president and chief clinical officer says, “The rising demand for pediatric care is stretching our hospital’s space and capacity. Investing in a property like this permits us to plan for the future should patient volume require us to expand beyond current levels.”
While CHLA has purchased the property at 4520 Sunset Blvd. with consideration given to future use, Vons will keep the existing grocery store open. Vons agreed to a multi-year leaseback of the property and to continue serving the grocery needs of the community. “Vons, along with its parent company, Albertsons, has enjoyed serving the community of Los Feliz for decades and plans to continue to do so for years to come,” says Melissa Hill, Vons director of public affairs.
“We value our relationships with all of our neighbors,” Lee says, “and should there eventually be a need to develop the property to meet demand, CHLA will make every effort to work with Vons on a smooth transition.”
CHLA recently was named the top-ranked pediatric hospital in the western United States by U.S. News & World Report and supports more than half a million patient visits, including 16,000 surgeries, annually. A premier teaching hospital, it also trains pediatricians and pediatric nurses; more than 1,200 California pediatricians have received their training at CHLA.
While the hospital routinely provides specialty care for patients from all 50 states and more than 30 countries, the largest number of patients come from its local community, where it serves as the region’s safety net children’s hospital treating the community’s youngest and most vulnerable patients, suffering from chronic illnesses, disease and traumatic injuries. In 2017, about one out of every 20 children in Los Angeles County – or more than one child per Los Angeles-area classroom) required the expertise of CHLA doctors, nurses, staff and affiliated network providers. And that number continues to grow.
The 317-bed Marion and John E. Anderson Pavilion, which opened in 2011, had room for growth included in its design. But in the past five years alone, total patient visits have increased by 20,000 each year; that includes inpatient admissions rising by 9 percent, inpatient surgeries by nearly 3 percent, outpatient surgeries by 5 percent and emergency visits by 28 percent.
To help accommodate this growth, the institution has moved 10 percent of its workforce, 400 administrative team members, off-site to make room for patient care needs, yet space remains at a premium. Meeting the expanding healthcare needs of Los Angeles’ children also requires the addition of team members and clinical experts. The hospital has expanded its workforce by more than 1,800 employees and active medical staff since the Anderson Pavilion opened in 2011 and anticipates this employment growth will continue.
“CHLA has a rich and long relationship with Los Angeles families dating back to 1901,” Lee says. “We consider our mission to create hope and build healthier futures for children as not only an investment in their future but our whole community. Taking care of their medical needs through compassionate family-centered care is a critical component of that mission.”
“We look forward to continuing our longstanding and productive relationship with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles as a good neighbor and now as the new landlord for the 4520 Sunset Boulevard property,” says Hill.
About Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Founded in 1901,Children's Hospital Los Angelesis ranked the top children's hospital in California and sixth in the nation for clinical excellence with its selection to the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll of children’s hospitals. Clinical care is led by physicians who are faculty members of the Keck School of Medicine of USC through an affiliation dating from 1932. The hospital ;also leads the largest pediatric residency training program at a freestanding children's hospital in the western United States. The Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles encompasses basic, translational and clinical research conducted at CHLA. To learn more, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, and visit our blog for families (CHLA.org/blog) and our research blog (ResearCHLABlog.org).
About Albertsons Companies
Albertsons Companies, Inc. is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with both a strong local presence and national scale. Albertsons Cos. operates stores across 35 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs, as well as meal kit company Plated based in New York City. Albertsons Cos. is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2017 alone, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the Company gave nearly $300 million in food and financial support. These efforts helped millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, programs for people with disabilities and veterans outreach.
