Barton receives $10 million donation to build a sports and wellness center

Just a few months after she donated $5 million to Lake Tahoe Community College, Lisa Maloff has made another large donation in honor of her late husband, Robert Maloff.

Barton Memorial Hospital is the latest recipient of Maloff's generosity. She made a $10 million gift to fund the building of a health and sports performance center on the Barton Memorial Hospital campus. The new center will be called the Robert Maloff Center of Excellence.

The Maloffs have always had a heart for promoting wellness, activity, and fitness in the community. Mr. Maloff co-owned and operated the Lake Tahoe Inn and Timber Cove Lodge. Mrs. Maloff was one of the founding members of the Barton Hospital Auxiliary, and the couple has supported many other local endeavors.

The donation will fund an estimated 25,000 square foot orthopedic, sports performance, and wellness center next to Barton Memorial Hospital overlooking Barton Meadow. The Robert Maloff Center of Excellence will integrate health, fitness, and medical expertise to treat the person holistically and improve a person’s overall well-being. It will expand on Barton’s comprehensive offerings for healthy living and preventative medicine, and build on a personalized, patient-centered experience.

“Barton Health continues to look at innovative ways to support the health and wellness of our community,” says John Williams, Barton’s Chief Executive Officer. “The Robert Maloff Center of Excellence will offer a myriad of wellness services supporting the needs of our diverse population. We are more than thrilled with the generous donation from the Maloffs that will help make this vision a reality.”

The Center of Excellence will house a team of Barton’s medical experts, state-of-the-art equipment, and a place for patients to receive coordinated, team-based care in one location. Barton will host educational wellness lectures for the community and employ a Health Navigator to guide community members on their journey to optimal health through Barton Health or other community services. It will also offer facilities for physical therapy, sports medicine and sports performance, and diagnosis-specific fitness and nutrition programs designed to support and enhance the lives of an active population.

“This is not your typical doctor’s office,” says Dr. Clint Purvance, Barton’s Chief Medical Officer. “The goal is to expand our wellness offerings and complement our existing programs. We want to build on our wellness and sports medicine presence in South Lake Tahoe for the benefit of our residents as well as people who visit this beautiful destination.”

The facility will adhere to innovative green building practices and undergo the LEED certification process. Construction for the project is expected to break ground this summer. The Center of Excellence is expected to open in early 2017.

Barton Health delivers safe, high quality care and engages the community in the improvement of health and wellness. Over 50 years ago, philanthropy was the seed that inspired Barton Memorial Hospital, which grew to become Barton Health. The Barton Foundation and the Barton Community sincerely appreciates the continuation of the Spirit of Philanthropy displayed by our local community members.