From left, Longmont Clinic medical director Sean Manion, Longmont Economic Development Partnership CEO Jessica Erickson, UCHealth CEO Elizabeth Concordia, UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital CEO Dan Robinson, Longmont Mayor Dennis Coombs, UCHealth vice president of facilities Sean Menogan and Haselden Construction president Byron Haselden shovel dirt at the official groundbreaking for the new hospital being built in Longmont. Photo by Joel Blocker, for UCHealth.

Dan Robinson is the CEO of Longs Peak Hospital in Longmont. Photo by Joel Blocker, for UCHealth.

UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital in Longmont, shown in this rendering, is slated to open in 2017.

LONGMONT, Colo.  – UCHealth officially broke ground this morning on a new hospital that will help meet the needs of a growing area of the state and provide new, high-quality services for patients.

Spanning more than 212,000 square feet, UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital and an ambulatory surgery center on the northwest corner of Colo. 119 and County Line Road will contain 53 inpatient beds with room to expand to more than 100.

“Today, we are surrounded by dirt and cranes. But with the help of this fine crew and hundreds of others who will have a hand in building this legacy, in about one year, we’ll be standing here amid a state-of-the-art facility designed for efficiency, safety, convenience and comfort,” said Dan Robinson, CEO of UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital.

When the full-service hospital opens in 2017, it will feature an intensive care unit, a Level III trauma center and emergency department, operating rooms, advanced cardiac services and a surgery center.

In addition, UCHealth will be offering several services that are new to the Longmont area, including an enhanced birthing center that will be able to care for babies born at 32 weeks, bariatric surgery, less-invasive sinus surgeries, endoscopic ultrasound to diagnose gastrointestinal and lung diseases, advanced neurological care, advanced orthopedic surgeries, vascular surgery and advanced telehealth services.

“This area of our state is growing rapidly, and we’re proud to bring a new hospital to the area to serve patients,” said UCHealth President and CEO Elizabeth Concordia. “We’re extending the proud, 110-year tradition of the Longmont Clinic and putting patients first. This new medical center will provide advanced care, close to home, while also ensuring an excellent patient experience.”

The construction of the hospital is expected to generate approximately 500 construction jobs. More than 250 new, permanent jobs will be created when the hospital opens next year.

An estimated $1.2 million will be spent in Longmont on construction materials and services related to the hospital project in addition to nearly $30 million in total construction job payroll and benefits, according to Jessica Erickson, CEO of Longmont Economic Development Partnership. Once the hospital is up and running, she added, its annual payroll will be over $13 million and the indirect local economic impact will be more than $4 million in additional annual local spending.

“We’re already seeing evidence of this in increased interest and development activity in the surrounding area of the hospital that promises to bring more jobs, more amenities, more services and more housing that is in great need here in Longmont,” Erickson said.

Haselden Construction is the general contractor on the project and is supported by Affiliated Engineers Inc., BHA Design, Inc., JVA Consulting Engineers and Project One Integrated Services and WHR Architects.

The new hospital’s architecture will convey a memorable brand identity with a timeless character, according to WHR Architects’ lead designer on the project, Tushar Gupta. “WHR’s design team is proud to collaborate with UCHealth to create an innovative, welcoming, and healing environment for the community,” he said.

About UCHealth