Martha Stewart Dedicates Center to her 93-Year-Old Mother, Martha Kostyra
( New York, NY - October 9, 2007) – Martha Stewart, and friends and staff of the Mount Sinai Medical Center today unveiled the new Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mount Sinai, an outpatient clinical practice of geriatric medicine. Martha Stewart is dedicating the center to Martha Kostyra, her 93-year-old mother. Ms. Stewart donated $5 million to Mount Sinai to bring the complex the complex to life and change the way people approach aging. The center will provide clinical care and education for patients, offer training for physicians and coordinate healthy-aging research.
Continuing its long association with Mount Sinai Medical Center, Pei Partnership Architects designed the 7,800 square foot state-of-the-art clinic. The new facility will allow for a 30% increase in patient caseloads over the course of the next 15 years.
The Martha Stewart Center for Living is located on the main campus of the medical center. It will, however, continue to maintain a distinct identity from the rest of the hospital through the design of a new entry canopy. The proposed symbol for the clinic is the bonsai tree because of its longevity and great beauty. The design of the clinic therefore establishes a zen-like simplicity of beautifully detailed materials and well-lit public spaces that flow into each other in a logical path of progression. Transparent and translucent fixed and sliding glass partitions enhance this effect.
Mount Sinai is a teaching hospital and as such, another key component of the clinic will be better facilities for residents-in-training. These include a viewing room with one-way mirrors to observe examinations without being seen and a greatly expanded Preceptor's Room to review and discuss case histories.
“It is my great honor to dedicate this center to my mom, Martha Kostyra, who has always inspired me to be physically active and mentally engaged,” said Martha Stewart. “My sincere hope is that the center will encourage people to embrace a healthier lifestyle so that they may continue to enjoy a productive and satisfying life as they grow older. We all want to live for many, many years but it’s important to have good quality of life, too.”
C.C. Pei designed the project and brought valued experience in medical facility design, having recently completed the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was encouraged by his father, I.M. Pei who, still active at 90, is a prime example of the kind of productive and successful aging that the center hopes to advance.
Working closely with Martha Stewart, the project was spearheaded by Brent Ridge, MD, MBA, Assistant Professor of Geriatrics and Adult Development and currently Vice President, Healthy Living of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.
The center will include:
• Exam rooms with hydraulic exam tables that can be lowered to floor level for easy access;
• Smaller, more intimate and tranquil waiting areas located next to exam rooms to help those who have mobility issues;
• Colors and finishes hand-selected by Martha Stewart, including stone flooring that minimizes dust and dirt;
• Special lighting that does not shine directly into patients eyes when on exam tables.
The Martha Stewart Center for Living will open to patients in mid-November.
