GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — HSHS St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center in Green Bay broke ground Wednesday on a new six-story inpatient bed tower, an expansion hospital leaders say will dramatically increase the facility's ability to serve patients across northeast Wisconsin.
Hospital leaders, medical staff, community leaders and project partners gathered at the future site of the tower Wednesday morning to celebrate the milestone. The project will be built on the site of the historic North Building, which was constructed in 1960 and demolished earlier this summer.
"Our physical space is changing, but our priority remains the same — delivering the highest standard of compassionate care today, while building the infrastructure of tomorrow," Chief Administrative Officer Leah Bergstrom said.
The new tower is part of a larger revitalization effort on the St. Mary's campus that leaders say will significantly expand access to specialized care and modernize hospital operations for years to come.
Plans for the expansion include quadrupling the hospital's intensive care capacity with 36 ICU beds, adding 72 medical-surgical beds and expanding cardiovascular services with an additional cardiovascular suite. Hospital leaders say the project will also advance surgical capabilities and help pave the way for future campus improvements.
Before construction officially began, leaders held a site blessing honoring the founding legacy of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis. Organizers said the ceremony emphasized the values of compassionate care and environmental stewardship that have guided the hospital system since its founding.
The groundbreaking concluded with hospital leadership, board members and project partners putting on hard hats and using ceremonial shovels for the first turn of dirt.
