SWEETWATER CONSTRUCTION CORP.
TO BUILD NEW ANIMAL HOSPITAL IN SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY

Winslow Animal Hospital Will Be Largest in Four-County Area

CRANBURY, N.J. – November 15, 2008 – Sweetwater Construction Corp., a recognized leader in New Jersey construction, management and general contracting, was recently awarded the preconstruction and construction management services contract for a new animal hospital at 640 Sicklerville Rd. in Sicklerville, N. J., a section of the Camden County community of Winslow Township.

The new $3.5 million, 10,500 square-foot animal hospital, which is expected to open in September 2009, will be the largest non-specialty animal hospital in Camden, Gloucester, Burlington and Atlantic Counties, said the owner, Dr. Philippe Coudrai. Work on the new facility is expected to begin in December.

Sweetwater, based in Cranbury, N. J., was chosen because of its extensive experience with health care facilities, Coudrai said. The company has built 11 surgery centers over the last five years. Sweetwater is also working on another veterinary facility, a 33,000-square-foot specialty and emergency trauma center in Robbinsville, N.J.

“The Winslow Animal Hospital broadens our extensive experience in building surgery centers into the area of veterinary practice,” said Ron Witt Sr., president of Sweetwater Construction Corp. “In choosing us, Dr. Coudrai has recognized our expertise in meeting the special demands of constructing sophisticated medical facilities.”

In addition to medical facilities, Sweetwater also specializes in the corporate, science and technology, hospitality, multi-family and institutional sectors.

The new hospital will feature 10 examination rooms, two surgical suites, two dental suites and a surgical orthopedic physical rehabilitation area featuring an underwater treadmill and rubber flooring, which makes it easier for injured animals’ feet to grip the floor. The facility will also have an expansive reception area, food prep and laundry areas, a dog and cat ward, a doctors’ station, a pharmacy and laboratory, an x-ray room and utility rooms.

In addition to medical and surgical care, the animal hospital will also offer training classes for puppies, as well as an expanded behavioral counseling department. A specialty of the hospital is orthopedic surgery. Coudrai now performs about 200 orthopedic surgical procedures a year for more than 30 referring veterinarian hospitals.

The Winslow Animal Hospital will replace the current 2,000 square-foot facility at 530 Berlin-Cross Keys Rd. in Sicklerville, about a half-mile from the new location. Because the current facility is so small, surgery is now being performed at a satellite surgery center located in a former residence at the new location.

The new facility will allow the hospital to consolidate its two locations into one and increase the amount of space about fivefold to accommodate the growing practice. The hospital, which specializes in dogs and cats, now has about 3,500 active clients, a number that is expected to grow by about 30 percent once the new facility is open.

The growth of the veterinary practice is a result of population growth in the area, which is in southern Camden County, about 20 minutes outside of Philadelphia. The hospital opened in 1999 with one veterinarian and three employees, and now has five veterinarians and 35 employees. The new facility will eventually employ eight full-time veterinarians.

“The most exciting aspect of the new animal hospital will be the expanded space in which to work,” said Coudrai. “We have been crammed for years.”

Coudrai is proud of the design, which he worked on with architect Jeffrey L. Grogan of Conshohocken, Pa., who specializes in veterinary facilities. One aspect of the design that Coudrai thinks will work especially well is the one-story floor plan, which allows the doctors’ station to be conveniently located next to the treatment area.

The new building will be located on about three acres. An adjoining 2-acre parcel, where the residence that is now being used as a surgery center is located, will be sold. The hospital has also received approval for a 2,500-square-foot addition, if needed.

“We want a facility that we will never outgrow,” Coudrai said.

About Sweetwater Construction Corp.
Established in 1974 and headquartered in Cranbury, N. J., Sweetwater Construction is guided by a proven management team and a client-centric business philosophy. Sweetwater provides clients with expert preconstruction and construction services backed by professional commitment and personal accountability. Sweetwater’s project teams possess proven track records in the corporate, healthcare, science and technology, hospitality, multi-family and institutional sectors. Sweetwater’s notable project methodology delivers expertise in budgeting, estimating, constructability, lifecycle reviews, and project control methodology, all of which come together to help ensure a successful project. For more information, please visit http://www.sweetwatercorp.com/about_us.htm

For more information on the Winslow Animal Hospital, visit the Web site at www.winslowanimalhospital.com.