TEXARKANA, Texas -Wadley Regional Medical Center will soon break ground on a new 123-bed hospital at the corner of University Avenue and West Park Boulevard.
Tom Gilbert, president of Wadley Regional Medical Center, made the announcement Tuesday during a celebration for National Hospitals Week.
"A new hospital in the fastest-growing part of Texarkana will further solidify Wadley's legacy of providing high-quality care to our neighbors," Gilbert said.
Wadley is a physician-owned and led hospital within Steward Health Care. Steward is based in Dallas, is the nation's largest physician-owned health care network and owns six other hospitals in Texas and one in West Monroe, Louisiana.
The new $227 million-facility is scheduled to open in May 2024. It will feature a medical office building and a full range of hospital services, including a 24/7 emergency room, orthopedics, cardiovascular area, neurosurgery, maternity care and a number of outpatient services. The hospital will have 123 beds with the ability to expand to 291.
The new hospital is expected to be 254,000 square feet and the medical office building should be 143,000 square feet.
"Wadley Regional plays a vital role in Texarkana as one of the regions largest employers and taxpayers while serving as a central hub for patients, clinical experts and other partners to better the community's health, making this new facility a testament to the city's dynamic and forward-thinking strategic growth," said Dr. Sanjay Shetty, president of Steward North America.
Shetty was in Texarkana on Tuesday for the announcement.
"I'm so excited for this team. They have persevered through an incredibly difficult year," Shetty said.
He told the employees gathered to "savor the fact that it was your hard work that led to the announcement."
The official groundbreaking is planned for September, and construction is expected to take about 32 months, pending weather issues.
Wadley's current location at 1000 Pine St. will remain fully operational while construction is underway.
Wadley Regional Medical Center purchased 55 acres north of Interstate 30 about five years ago.
Wadley has served the Texarkana area for about 120 years and has been at the Pine Street location since the late 1950s, Gilbert said.
Gilbert said the decision to build has been a "long time coming."
"When you are investing 200-plus million in a community, you want to be real sure. But the timing is right now and we are ready to move forward."
He also said the COVID-19 pandemic has made it very clear the community needs two hospitals more than ever.
"We worked together with CHRISTUS St. Michael as we often have in times of need," he said.
Gilbert said the new hospital will allow for larger rooms and more space to isolate patients when needed.
"Wadley has been proudly serving the community where we live and work, and this state-of-the-art facility will ensure that tradition carries on for generations to come," he said.
(For more information, visit wadleyhealth.org or steward.org.)