Hospital tower addition opening in St. Maries

A $28.5 million hospital expansion and renovation project approved by Benewah County voters in 2009 is nearing completion.

Benewah Community Hospital’s administration is hosting a ceremony Saturday at 10 a.m. celebrating the grand opening of the hospital’s new east tower addition. The public is invited to attend a ribbon cutting near the St. Maries facilty’s Seventh Street entrance. Community tours will then be conducted until 2 p.m. Refreshments and commemorative gifts will be available following the tours while supplies last.

“We are excited for the public to see the new addition. This expansion could not have happened without the continued support we received from the community,” said hospital CEO, Brian Nall, in a press release. “We want to thank them for helping us achieve this milestone.”

The five-story, 54,000-square-foot east tower addition connects to the original hospital building on the first floor. Highlights include spacious private patient rooms, a new family practice and specialty clinic, an upgraded physical therapy department and permanent MRI equipment.

Next steps in the renovation project include expanding the emergency department, remodeling departments and tearing down the old St. Maries Family Medicine clinic to create additional parking space.