By Families to move into MV hotel during construction

Town Crier Report

After receiving approval from the City of Palo Alto’s Architectural Review Board (ARB) to begin long-awaited expansion efforts, the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford, announced today that families residing at the House will begin relocating to a nearby hotel in Mountain View.

The proposed remodel will nearly double capacity from 24 to 46 rooms, enabling the House to accommodate an increased number of children and their families. During construction efforts, the House administration office will temporarily relocate to 425 Sherman Ave. in Palo Alto, where the staff will continue to be augmented by a corps of volunteers who make the House such a warm and friendly place.

“We are delighted with the ARB’s decision and believe that the expanded Ronald McDonald House at Stanford fits beautifully into both the architectural and community-minded foundation of the City of Palo Alto,” said Honey Meir-Levi, executive director, Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. “After five years of planning and fund-raising efforts, we are moving out of the House, shedding a tear or two in the process, but looking forward to the expanded resources that we will be able to provide to future families and their children.”

In the last several years, changes in health care have resulted in many very ill children being treated as outpatients, often staying at the House with their families for lengthy courses of treatment. At the same time, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital’s development of world-renown capabilities in pediatric cancer, cardiac, neurological, organ transplant, orthopedic and other disorders have created the need for many more families to extend their stays well beyond the capacity of the House’s original design. As a result, the House’s existing facilities are no longer adequate.

The expanded Ronald McDonald House will include 22 new sleeping rooms, eight of which will be specially designed to provide medically secure immune environments - essential to the well-being of children undergoing many advanced transplant and cancer therapies.

In addition, plans call for a new multipurpose “great room,” creating a needed community gathering area for families; a teen recreation and children’s activity center; and a new CLIK center (Computer Learning for Ill Kids).

Designed by The Steinberg Group, a San Jose - based architecture firm, the expansion will include more than 25,000 square feet of new construction, along with 12,000 square feet of facility renovation and 14,000 square feet of underground parking.

Ronald McDonald House at Stanford, the House That Love Built©, located at 520 Sand Hill Road in Palo Alto, is a non-profit organization.

One of the finest accomplishments of Ronald McDonald House is that families are charged only $10 a night to stay at the house and no family is ever turned away because of an inability to pay.

For more information, log onto www.ronaldhouse-stanford.org or call 325-5113.