Sarasota Memorial To Build 100-Bed Hospital In North Port

NORTH, PORT, FL — The Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is moving forward with plans to build a new hospital in North Port.

Master planning for the development is under way and pre-construction site work has started at the new medical campus, according to a news release from SMH.

Plans for the new facility come less than a year after the health care system opened a 110-bed hospital in Venice. SMH-Venice has operated at full capacity since its first week.

SMH will build its North Port hospital on an undeveloped 32-acre site in the 4900 block of Sumter Boulevard near I-75. The health care system purchased the parcel in 2007 with a pledge from the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board to invest in the medical infrastructure needed to support a hospital in North Port, the news release said.

“Building a hospital in North Port has been part of our strategic plan and a longstanding goal of city and hospital leaders for many years,” David Verinder, SMH president and CEO, said. “As we had hoped, the new Venice hospital is expanding and bringing our extensive physician base further south, which provides the support and specialty services we need to move forward with a full-service hospital in North Port.”

Hospital officials met with North Port leaders Tuesday to discuss preliminary plans and the timeline for city permits needed before construction begins. The health care system will form an SMH-North Port Neighborhood Advisory Council to get input on the project from residents and businesses.

It’s estimated that the project will take about three years to plan before construction can begin. Verinder said he hopes to see the new hospital’s “foundation taking shape” by 2025, the year SMH will celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Though plans for the hospital are still being finalized, it’s expected to open with about 100 beds and the ability to eventually more than double in size to meet the growing community’s needs.

“The want and need for a first-class medical facility in the North Port community is palpable, and has been for many years,” Jerome Fletcher, North Port’s city manager, said. “(Tuesday’s) meeting was just the beginning of the discussion, and the city looks forward to hearing more about how we can support the plans and the economic development opportunities a new hospital will bring to North Port.”

SMH-North Port will offer a comprehensive range of acute medical, surgical and specialty care, outpatient programs and diagnostic services, as well as space for educational and support programs.

The facility will be hurricane hardened with a back-up energy center and seamless connection to the electronic medical records, clinical systems and specialized support of the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System.