With the roar of Interstate 65 traffic and a rendering of the building behind them, religious, city and Franciscan Health officials Thursday broke ground on a new $200 million, 500,000-square-foot Franciscan Health Crown Point hospital.
Before the first shovel full of dirt was tossed, the Most Rev. Robert J. McClory, Bishop of the Diocese of Gary, blessed the soil and said a prayer for both the successful completion of the new hospital and the safety of the workers during construction.
The hospital, slated to be completed in fall 2023, will be the latest addition to a 500-acre multi-use development located on the southeast corner of I-65 and U.S. 231 in Crown Point.
A hospital spokesman said site preparation work will be done this fall, with construction to begin in the spring.
The acreage already includes Franciscan Health Franciscan Point and a University of St. Francis facility, both of which will be expanded. Other surrounding parcels of land are reserved for residential and commercial use. The acreage also could possibly be the site of a new Catholic high school, pending a decision by the Gary Diocese, a spokesman said.
Hospital officials said the property was chosen to serve the needs of a growing South Lake County, as well as nearby areas in Porter, Newton and Jasper counties.
“This is not just about a hospital. It’s about building a community for us all,” said Dr. Daniel McCormick, president and CEO of Franciscan Health Crown Point.
McCormick called the groundbreaking “the beginning of a new age of health care in Northwest Indiana.” The new hospital will have the latest in healthcare technology, according to hospital officials.
McCormick said the current Franciscan Health Crown Point building at 1201 Main St. opened in 1974, and has undergone a number of expansions, retrofits and repairs in its almost 50 years in order to meet evolving medical advancements and the community.
“It’s been a challenge to serve the growing population in South Lake County. We needed to invest in a new state-of-the-art facility,” McCormick said.
The current hospital will continue to provide health care while the new facility is developed. Meanwhile, future uses for the current building are being explored, a spokesman said.
Cal Bellamy, chairman of the Franciscan Alliance Northern Indiana Board of Directors, called the groundbreaking an historic event and a reflection of the major commitment to the City of Crown Point by the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration. He said the hospital is part of a comprehensive undertaking that includes medical, education, commercial, retail and residential and that it’s being undertaken in an uncertain time both for health care and economically.
Crown Point Mayor David Uran called the new hospital “the beacon of quality health care.
“This will be the next generation of quality health care for our region,” Uran said.
Sister Jane Marie Klein, chairwoman of the Franciscan Alliance Board of Trustees, said this project will enable the sisters to once again continue God’s mission.
She said the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration have been doing ministry work in Northwest Indiana for more than 100 years, beginning with St. Margaret Hospital in Hammond, now known as Franciscan Health Hammond.
Karen Caffarini is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
