It’s the biggest construction project in the history of Gibson Area Hospital, says hospital CEO Rob Schmitt. GAH is about to move forward on a $12 million expansion project, adding a 55,000 square foot, 3-story medical office building on the hospital’s north side in Gibson City.

Schmitt said it’ll give the hospital a new look in two years. Parking will be available on three sides of the building. Construction is scheduled to start in August, Schmitt said.

The Ford County Record reports by 2023, all of the hospital’s physicians will have their offices located inside the medical office building, which will tower over the rest of the hospital.

Plans are to demolish buildings on four residential properties. The medical office building will house office space for doctors who currently have offices in the hospital’s Doctors Park office complex to the north of GAH’s main building. Eventually, Schmitt said, plans are to relocate some of GAH’s programs to make for more space.

Schmitt said the hospital is excited about its continued growth and expansion, adding that the new building would expand services offered.

The expansion project adds to the growing GAH complex, which was about half the current size 20 years ago.

The Record reports, previous expansion projects included “Project 2000,” a $7.2 million venture that added a new waiting room, outpatient space and surgery and radiology areas in a two-story addition to the hospital’s west side. GAH then expanded to the west in 2006 with its new emergency room which was a also a $7-million project.

94.1 WGFA