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Mercyhealth Breaks Ground On $485 Million Medical Campus

Ground was broken officially Monday for the $485 million Mercyhealth regional medical center in northeast Rockford.

The center will include the highest-level services for perinatal and newborn intensive care, trauma services, and specialty medical services, according to Mercyhealth President Javon R. Bea.

"This project is the largest construction project in Rockford history,” he said, “and it will enhance not only patient care but also economic growth to the greater Rockford region in many ways."

Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey also touted the economic-development aspects of the full complex.

“Mercy is committed to expanding the retail development that will occur here,” he said. “They committed themselves to ensure that a hotel gets built.”

The mayor cited the just-opened UW Health Sports Factory on the Rock River downtown and the giant aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility under construction at Chicago Rockford International Airport as additional examples.

“We’ve got tremendous investment taking place throughout the community,” Morrissey said. “It’s a great thing to see, and it helps support prosperity for everyone.

“This is based on a bold belief that Rockford is going to grow. This hospital expansion is a big part of that.”

Bea said the medical center is expected to create 400 new permanent health care jobs. “We’ve already recruited 52 new subspecialty physicians,” he said, “most of which have never been represented in this area.”

The three wings of the hospital will have 188 inpatient beds, a state-of-the art women's and children's hospital offering high-risk maternity care and pediatric emergency services, and an adult sub-specialty hospital

There also will be multi-disciplinary clinics to serve adult and pediatric patients.

U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a major in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, flew himself into Rockford for the event and was flying to Washington, D.C.,  immediately afterward. He said it may take time for local residents to realize everything the new medical center will mean for the community.

“This is a couple-year construction process,” the Republican Congressman said. “They’re going to see it built. They’re going to see it from the interstate when they drive by and start to get more excited, and then the second it opens its doors they can understand that we don’t have to drive to Chicago or up to Madison now, and I think it will fully sink in.”

Land surveying and site preparation began in early May.  Officials estimate 1,100 construction jobs will be created to finish the project by January 2019.

The project also includes 263 acres of land for hotels, restaurants, convenience stores and other retail outlets.

Asked about the perception by portions of the Rockford community that the project had been rammed through, Bea responded, “This land has been designated for this purpose for 20 years … It should have been done a long time ago.”

  • WNIJ's Phil Masterton and Victor Yehling contributed to this report.
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