CHAMPION, Ohio (WKBN) – Mercy Health announced Wednesday that a new hospital and medical office complex will be built in Champion.
Mercy Health will build a new 241-bed hospital on 60 acres of land in Champion. They hope to have it open in three years.
“It’s gonna be a benefit to not only our residents but everyone, especially northern Trumbull County, and it’s still close enough to the southern part of the county also,” said Champion Fire Chief Tom Dempsey.
According to a press release, the hospital will provide full inpatient and outpatient services and will offer an opportunity for expansion. Specialist care will be offered in the medical office building that will be adjacent to the hospital.
The current St. Joseph Warren Hospital will relocate to the new facility. Its former site will continue to offer outpatient services in the existing Medical Office Building, and the rest will be redeveloped as green space, according to Mercy Health.
Mercy Health released the following statement:
Some people who live in Warren are concerned about the move.
“Why should we have to travel outside of our city to get help with certain things?” said resident Kashi Evans.
Another person I spoke with hopes the new campus will offer more services.
“If you can’t get what you need in the city, they were traveling outside the city anyway,” said resident Saundra Cobbin.
“For more than a century, Mercy Health has responded to the ever-changing health care needs of the Mahoning Valley, through new, enhanced points of care. Given St. Joseph Warren’s current landlocked location and Trumbull County’s growing health care demands, our leadership team identified an opportunity to better serve the community and expand St. Joseph Warren Hospital.”
Dr. John Luellen
Mercy Health – Lorain and Youngstown President
Dempsey said the new hospital will be close to double the size of the current St. Joe’s and more people will work at the new location.
“It will help with our economic growth, especially in the southern part of our township,” said Dempsey.
On top of losing a hospital, most of the workers won’t be in the city of Warren anymore.
Mercy Health had previously announced plans to build a complex next to the Eastwood Mall, but those plans were abandoned due to environmental concerns and other issues.
The hospital in Champion will be the first hospital construction in the Valley since 2007 when St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital was constructed.
Groundbreaking is expected for 2023, with an expected opening date in late 2025.
Last week, Mercy Health announced that it has partnered with Kindred Rehabilitation Services to build a new rehabilitation facility.
