CONWAY, Ark. – Baptist Health held a topping-out ceremony today on the 37-acre site in Conway to mark the completion of the main steel structure for Baptist Health Medical Center-Conway. Baptist Health president and CEO Troy Wells, civic leaders, community members, local physicians, and Baptist Health employees celebrated this milestone for the 111-bed hospital located on the west side of Interstate 40 in Conway.
“It’s hard to believe that just one year ago we were here breaking ground for construction and now we are celebrating the topping-out for this facility,” said Wells. “It was exciting then, but even more so now as we place the symbolic final beam for our new hospital.”
Since construction began, the hospital has already increased in size to 264,000-square-foot and is now 111-beds after the expansion of the Women’s Center added labor and delivery. The medical center is still on track to open in the spring of 2016 with eight operating rooms and a Level III trauma-center emergency room.
“While this topping-out represents the physical structure, it means much more to our community,” said Jamie Carter, vice-president and administrator of Baptist Health Medical Center-Conway. “This three-story medical center will address the healthcare needs of Faulkner County and surrounding areas, which have experienced unprecedented population growth over the past 10 years.”
Baptist Health collaborated with some 30 Conway-based physicians to design and develop the new medical center.
“Today’s topping-out ceremony is a long time coming and is physical evidence of the perseverance by a dedicated group of physicians and steering committee who have
worked closely with Baptist Health on this project,” said Dr. Ben Dodge, orthopedic surgeon and chairman of the Physician Steering Committee. “We now look forward to the subsequent opening of Baptist Health Medical Center–Conway in early 2016.”
Employees throughout the Baptist Health system as well as the community had an opportunity to personally sign their names on the beam that was used in the topping-out ceremony. Jamie Carter was the last person to sign the beam before it was put into place with large cranes.
The construction project has generated more than 250 jobs and currently Baptist is working to hire the 425 healthcare professionals and staff that will work in the Conway medical center.
The estimated cost of the entire project is now at $170 million. GSR Andrade is providing architectural design services and CDI is the General Contractor.
“Baptist Health’s vision is to improve the health of Arkansans by changing the way healthcare is delivered,” said Wells. “We believe this medical center will greatly benefit the residents of this area by ensuring a strong and sustainable future for healthcare.”
Baptist Health is an Arkansas-based, locally owned and managed, not-for-profit, and faith-based healthcare organization. Baptist Health is also Arkansas’ most comprehensive healthcare organization with more than 8,300 employees operating eight hospitals not including the Conway facility. For more information about Baptist Health, please call Baptist Health HealthLine at 1-888-BAPTIST.