As part of WellSpan’s focus on sustainability, health system officials have kepr most of the WellSpan York Hospital expansion project local, finalizing a list of contractors in which more than 80 percent are from the immediate area. Work demolition and excavation is ongoing at the campus before an expansion that will significantly enhance the hospital as a center of excellence for advanced care. The centerpiece of the expansion will be a new eight-story surgical and critical care tower that will make WellSpan York Hospital one of the largest hospitals in Pennsylvania.

Facility engineering, design and consulting partners include Warehaus, St. Onge, WSP, and LF Driscoll/Benchmark, among others while demolition, excavation and construction companies include The Berg Corporation, Stewart & Tate, Wagman, and IB Abel and McClure. Numerous others are involved in the expansive campus project.

Another sustainability goal for the tower project is to achieve LEED certification as a green building by U.S. Green Building Council. The new tower will employ high-performance sustainability design that is good for the environment and will enhance the comfort and well-being of patients, families, visitors and team members. More than 12,000 square feet of green roof will be accessible in a garden setting, offering the healing power of nature. The green roof also will absorb rainwater, reducing the environmental impact of stormwater runoff, and act as a natural insulator that reduces energy consumption for cooling and heating.

Additionally, the tower will feature enhanced ventilation systems that promote the best possible air quality and healthier patient outcomes, and the building will not use any environmentally harmful chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants.

In terms of clinical care, the new tower at WellSpan York Hospital will feature larger surgical suites; the newest robotic surgical and advanced medical technology; expanded pre- and post-operative care areas; and dedicated spaces that support cardiovascular, neurology and trauma care and services. Additional intensive care unit rooms will include space for families to stay with their loved ones and offer improved privacy and comfort for family and visitors.

Overall, the expansion consists of over 248,000 square feet of new space and 32,000 square feet of renovated space. When completed, the hospital will have 600 beds, making it one of the largest hospitals in Pennsylvania.

First announced just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March 2020, the campus expansion was postponed while the hospital focused attention on its response to the public health crisis. With demolition and excavation now wrapping up, foundations and steel will soon rise from the construction site with the addition expected to be ready for use by early 2027. Total investment in the project is estimated at $427 million and will ultimately support the creation of approximately 500 jobs in the region’s healthcare sector.