Animal Clinic East

The real-life Monopoly game started when the owners bought a piece of property for a satellite clinic and later bought two neighboring lots to increase this growing small-animal clinic. They knew it would be challenging to make the initially jumbled property look like a bona fide veterinary hospital. But they jumped into the task of blending and beautifying. And their carefully-planned strategy paid off, eventually winning them a 2005 Veterinary Economics Hospital Design Competition Merit Award.

Go directly to start, and don't collect a dime The team started conducting business in the 1,180-square-foot satellite clinic in 1991, with the main clinic five miles away serving mostly rural, large-animal clients. Within two years, the satellite clinic was bursting at the seams. "We were waving the white flag, saying we couldn't work in these tight quarters anymore," says co-owner Dr. Susan Fazzari. "We were stepping over animals recovering from anesthesia, and we could only hold about four people at a time in the treatment area. So in 1994, we started sketching ideas for an enlargement on napkins. When a house adjacent to the building came up for sale, we bought it and rented it out until we could donate the house to Habitat for Humanity and have it moved off the lot."

A 15-foot-tall ceiling and numerous windows give the reception area an airy atmosphere. Mission-style furniture and ceramic tile flooring make the area inviting and easy to clean.

Before hiring an architect, the owners had a good idea of what they wanted, says co-owner Dr. John Ladderud. "We spent time getting a good design down before moving ahead," he says. "We bought a design book from Veterinary Economics and put our ideas together. Our problem in a nutshell: too much business and not enough space."

Yet space wasn't all the doctors wanted. "We wanted a modern, high-quality facility that would satisfy new veterinarians who wanted to practice high-end medicine," says co-owner Dr. Phillip Kress. "We designed an answer to that need into every part of the clinic. Of course, there were some budget limits, but our plan ensured we had what it takes to run an upscale, modern clinic."

Some of those additions included wiring for an expansion of computer systems and audio-video needs; pre-wiring and oxygen drops for future surgical instrumentation; and careful use of modern, durable materials to help the clinic withstand the test of time.

Dr. John Ladderud's wife, Ruth, bought this mechanical horse—which she spotted in a storeroom at Sears Roebuck and Co.—for the reception area. Clients' children enjoy riding the horse, and the practice donates the money earned to the city library.