Geisinger officials on Tuesday ceremonially broke ground on an $880 million expansion and modernization project at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.
Site preparations in front of the hospital are already underway and foundation work is planning to start this summer, officials said.
First unveiled last summer, the project will include an 11-story tower, an expanded emergency department, and the transition to 100% private patient rooms.
The tower will feature a new, larger emergency room that will double the square footage of the current space and increase the number of beds from 45 to 60, officials said, and will include updated modern operating suites and intensive care units.
“This is a transformative project that continues Abigail Geisinger’s legacy of bringing the best care to our neighbors across the region,” Geisinger President and CEO Dr. Terry Gilliland said.
“The community deserves and expects to have timely access to specialty care," Gilliland added. "This project allows us to build on our commitment of doing just that, now and into the future.”
Work also will include construction of a new, multi-level parking garage adjacent to the new tower.
The tower is expected to be complete and open to patients by 2029.
— Roger DuPuis