UCLA Medical Center making its move

UCLA Medical Center's complicated, tightly scheduled move from its old building to a new one across the street was proceeding according to plan this morning, a spokeswoman said.

Staffers were aided by an unexpectedly small number of patients needing to be transferred. They had planned to move 350 patients, but only 275 people actually required transfer, said Dale Tate, a hospital spokeswoman.

About 2,100 doctors, nurses, technicians and managers are involved in the move, and police have shut down Westwood Boulevard between Le Conte Avenue to Charles Young Drive South.

The emergency room is not accepting new patients arriving by ambulance until late this afternoon, but Tate said patients who arrive by car or foot are still being admitted.

The move to what UCLA officials describe as the nation's most up-to-date hospital has been eight years in the planning.

The new 1-million-square-foot building was designed by C.C. "Didi" Pei with guidance from his father, architect I.M. Pei. It replaces the 53-year-old center that was heavily damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

The old hospital will continue to house the David Geffen School of Medicine, the UCLA School of Dentistry and the UCLA School of Public Health.

garrett.therolf@latimes.com