St. Luke’s holds groundbreaking at Franklin site
John Nespoli, president of St. Luke’s - Carbon, talks to a large crowd at the site of the new hospital to be built in Franklin Township. Also speaking were Judge Steven Serfass, left, and Rick Anderson, president and CEO of St. Luke’s. BOB FORD/TIMES NEWS
Amid gloomy skies and precipitous weather, droves of guests flocked to the site of the future St. Luke’s Carbon Campus Thursday afternoon for a groundbreaking ceremony.
The event took place under a tent at the site of the future campus to be located off Harrity Road, and was kicked off with remarks from John Nespoli, president, St. Luke’s University Health Network, Gnaden Huetten & Palmerton campuses.
Nespoli said the development of a brand-new hospital assures the Lehighton area has a very bright future.
“When we open this new hospital in Franklin Township, Lehighton will become a regional center of excellence for behavioral health, for acute rehab, for long-term care, post-acute care, outpatient services,” Nespoli said. “There’s a really bright future for Lehighton.”
The proposed $70-plus million hospital in Franklin Township remains on target to open in 2021.
The proposed 130,000-square-foot hospital will include 40 beds when it opens and eventually expand to 80. It includes a 535-space parking lot. More than 200 employees are expected to work at the facility, including new positions and existing positions from other St. Luke’s facilities in the area.
Last year, Franklin supervisors changed the township’s zoning to allow health care facilities on properties of at least 30 acres.
Read the full story in tomorrow’s edition of the Times News.
Comments
Thank God there is building going on again. America is back up and running.
Thank you community voters for improving the pool of supervisors.
If they can remove Robin Cressley in November and Solicitor Schwab's office in December, or earlier, we as a community can heal the wounds left from their evil.
Sincerely,
Citizen David F. Bradley Sr.
"evil"? Really?
Location...location...location...near the turnpike exit, the farm field where they are going just became available after decades of being farmed and left alone from the development boom in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, came at the right time. Less stringent local ordinance provisions, I would imagine played a HUGE role for St. Luke’s to consider this location. So, one new Supervisor was NOT the reason.
At least St. Luke’s received approval for their business and will be operating legally, unlike some other business(es).