Minneapolis, Minn. – February 9, 2010 – Ellerbe Becket, part of AECOM, is honored to announce their selection as lead design architect for a new hospital for Cincinnati-based Mercy Health Partners (MHP). The firm will partner with Champlin Architecture, who will serve as architect-of-record for the new $150 million hospital, to be constructed on a 60-acre parcel of land on the growing west side of Cincinnati.

Ellerbe Becket is one of the top healthcare design firms in the world. Designers follow an open, research-based process that translates clients’ visions and models of care into inspiring physical spaces that best serve the human needs at the heart of healthcare. They have designed state-of-the-art facilities for clients that include the Mayo Clinic, Partners Harvard Medical International, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, The Methodist Hospital, Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Park Nicollet Health Services, the University of Kentucky and Catholic Healthcare Partners – the parent organization for MHP.

Champlin Architecture is a regional leader in healthcare design and has worked on numerous healthcare projects in Greater Cincinnati and Ohio, including several projects for Mercy Health Partners and a new outpatient center at The Ohio State University Medical Center.

“We are extremely fortunate to have two architecture firms of this caliber collaborate on the design for this project,” said James May, President/CEO of Mercy Health Partners. “The new hospital will be the hub for our plans to bring comprehensive, high-quality healthcare services to our communities on the west side and in western Hamilton County.”

“We are honored to be selected as architect for such an important project,” said Ellerbe Becket design principal Mic Johnson, AIA. “To design a hospital campus that reflects the aspirations of the community will be as important as making sure that its planning supports a model of leading-edge healthcare delivery. We look forward to collaborating with Champlin Architecture and Mercy stakeholders to arrive at the right balance.”

The new Mercy hospital will offer the latest advancements in healthcare design to help ensure operational efficiency, allow for future flexibility, and provide safety, comfort and privacy for patients, as well as a safe and efficient work environment for physicians and staff. The hospital will feature comprehensive healthcare services, including heart and cancer programs.

Work will start immediately on the design and groundbreaking is planned in 2011.

About Ellerbe Becket
Founded in 1909, Ellerbe Becket is internationally recognized as a leader in the architecture, engineering and interior design industries. Through its global reach and broad expertise, Ellerbe Becket has designed nearly every major building type in all 50 United States and in 20 countries. Practice areas include healthcare, sports, education, government and corporate. Now part of AECOM (NYSE: ACM), Ellerbe Becket is able to draw upon additional global planning, design and engineering resources, including city and regional planners, economists, environmental planners, ecologists, landscape architects and a range of transportation, energy and water experts as needed to serve the needs of our clients. For more information, visit www.ellerbebecket.com and www.aecom.com.

About Champlin Architecture
Champlin is a leading regional architecture firm, with roots dating back to 1897. The firm provides architecture, planning, interior design and structural engineering services to healthcare, civic, corporate, education, and religious clients. Champlin’s forward-thinking healthcare designs meet the changing demands of the consumer, technology, and the economic environment. For more information, please visit www.thinkchamplin.com.

About Mercy Health Partners
Mercy Health Partners is a comprehensive healthcare network with care-delivery sites throughout Greater Cincinnati. Mercy encompasses five award-winning hospitals, eight senior living communities, primary care practices, imaging/diagnostic centers, social service agencies, urgent care centers, health and wellness centers, weight loss management and a variety of outreach and ambulatory centers. To learn more visit www.e-mercy.com.

Contact: mryan@labreche.com