Expansion plans already underway
As Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMH) begins clearing land for North Port’s first full-service hospital, SMH leaders already are planning the future expansion of the South County campus, SMH has announced.
During the groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 7, SMH officials unveiled plans for the $507-million hospital campus on a 32-acre site that the health care system owns in the 4800 block of North Sumter Boulevard, a news release says. “It will be the city’s first acute-care hospital, and the third hospital SMH has built in its 100-year history,” the release adds.
“This is a historic milestone for our health system, North Port and the south county region, and we couldn’t be happier to celebrate this landmark moment than during the week of Sarasota Memorial’s centennial,” Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder told the crowd “of about 200 hospital and community leaders, SMH staff and physicians, elected officials and planning, design and construction teams who gathered on the construction site for the groundbreaking ceremony,” the release continues.
“When completed in 2028, Sarasota Memorial Hospital-North Port will be nine stories tall, with an adjacent 3-story medical office building. The hospital will initially open with 100 beds but will include three floors of finished shell space, which will allow SMH to quickly double capacity to 208 beds,” the release points out. “The campus design is flexible with capacity to increase to more than 400 beds in the future,” it adds.
“Building a hospital in North Port has been part of Sarasota Memorial’s growth plan for many years,” the release says. “In January, the health system’s governing board approved the $507 million to build and equip the hospital.
“The campus will offer a comprehensive range of emergency, medical, surgical and specialty care,” along with “a full complement of diagnostic services” and on-site outpatient services and physician practices. “The first floor of the hospital will include emergency, radiology/imaging, administrative and support services, as well as a cafeteria and coffee bar; the second floor will house surgical and procedural areas; and floors four through six will be dedicated patient care units with private rooms for admitted patients,” the release explains. “The third floor is reserved for mechanical space. Floors 7-9 will be built as open shells and finished in a future phase,” the release notes.
“Right now, we are surrounded by empty land and equipment. But I’d like you to envision a beautiful medical campus with a state-of-the-art, full-service hospital right here where we’re standing,” said Jeff Wesner, president of SMH-North Port during the Nov. 7 event.
U.S. Rep. Greg Steube of Sarasota County, who also attended the event “noted that since North Port is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation, the city is fortunate that SMH is bringing ‘this gem’ to its backyard,” the release continues. “I personally have used SMH and can personally attest to the professionalism and the health care that you receive,” he said, “referring to a serious accident he had a couple of years ago,” the release explains.
“Phil Stokes, mayor of North Port, thanked the health care system for investing in North Port’s future,” the release adds.
“A hospital of this scale will transform the quality of life here,” Stokes pointed out. “For our residents, this means fewer long drives for care, more convenience and improved access to top-tier medical services right here in North Port,” he said. “We look forward to being long-term partners, to celebrating many future successes together and to witnessing the positive ripple effects this campus will have for generations,” Stokes added.
“For updates on the construction of SMH-North Port, visit smh.com/NorthPortUpdates,” the release concludes.