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St. Elizabeth's Hospital Plans $50 Million Expansion in O'Fallon

Written by Judy Lamelza | Oct 15, 2024 4:53:11 PM

St. Elizabeth’s Hospital is planning a significant expansion at its O’Fallon medical campus, seven years after relocating from Belleville. This $50 million development aims to address the growing healthcare demands in the region and includes the construction of a new ambulatory surgical treatment center and a medical office building. 

The hospital, which relocated from Belleville to its current site off Interstate 64 seven years ago, is seeking state and local approval to build a new 70,000-square-foot medical office building and an ambulatory surgical treatment center. The hospital’s president, Chris Klay, recently presented the plan during an O’Fallon City Council committee meeting, emphasizing the need for expanded facilities due to the current hospital’s capacity issues.

Klay described the expansion as a significant economic development opportunity, highlighting that the hospital has outgrown its current space—a positive challenge that signals the facility's growing role in the community. The new development will be located adjacent to Green Mount Road, north of the hospital’s main entrance and roundabout.  Below are the specific details of what the project will include:

 

1. Project Overview

  • Facility Name: St. Elizabeth’s Hospital
  • Location: O’Fallon, Illinois, off Interstate 64
  • Project Type: Expansion of the medical campus
  • Estimated Cost: $50 million
  • Purpose: Address the hospital's growing demand for healthcare services and expand capacity for specialized care.

 

2. New Buildings

Medical Office Building:
  • Size: 70,000 square feet
  • Number of Floors: Three
  • Location: Adjacent to Green Mount Road, directly north of the main entrance and roundabout on the hospital campus.


The Belleville News-Democrat reports that the 20,000 square foot ambulatory surgical treatment center located inside the medical office building will include four operating rooms and two procedure rooms.

 


 3. Construction Timeline

  • Approval Process:
    • Applications submitted to the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.
    • Anticipated decision date: January 28, 2025.
  • Proposed Start Date: Spring 2025
  • Estimated Completion: 2026

 

4. Capacity and Demand

  • Current Operating Room Utilization:
    • Operating rooms used at 120.85% of capacity (target is 80%).
    • Increase in surgeries from 78 to 140–160 annually.
  • Current Medical Office Building: At full capacity (100% utilization).

The TIF District was essential in addressing challenges like abandoned coal mines under the property, which required remediation before construction could begin. The city issued bonds to cover upfront infrastructure costs, including the reconstruction of Green Mount Road and extension of utilities. These measures, funded through the TIF, demonstrate the vital role of public-private partnerships in large-scale healthcare construction projects.

 

For those in the commercial construction field, the St. Elizabeth’s Hospital expansion offers a chance to be part of a transformative healthcare project that will not only enhance the region’s healthcare capacity but also showcase the industry’s ability to create state-of-the-art medical facilities that serve growing communities.