Plans for Norton Healthcare's west Louisville hospital continue moving forward

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Plans to build a hospital in west Louisville continue moving forward.

Norton Healthcare will build the 90,000-square-foot facility at Broadway and 28th Street. During a presentation to members of a Metro Council committee Wednesday, Norton leaders said there is a 24-month construction plan.

Norton would join Goodwill industries of Kentucky’s 20-acre “opportunity campus” in a $100 million project that is scheduled to break ground this summer and open in 2023.

The site also is slated to include Goodwill’s headquarters and offices for other local social service agencies. Norton plans to spend $7 million to buy land for the hospital and back other services, although it couldn't provide an estimated purchase price.

Several leaders from Norton Healthcare spoke to council members during Wednesday's presentation, talking about communication with area businesses and residents, hospital plans and hopes for the future.

"We believe that every person in every neighborhood should have the opportunity to receive the health care that they deserve," said Renee Murphy, senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer for Norton Healthcare.

Norton President and CEO Russell Cox said the facility will include 20 in-patient beds, a 24-hour emergency department, operating rooms, imaging equipment and primary care for adults and children.

"We recognize at Norton Healthcare that treatment and protocols and ways of doing things in health care have not always been equitable," Cox said. "We recognized that that has to change."

Murphy said Norton Healthcare is already reaching out to those in the area of where the hospital will be built through scheduling community conversations. She said in the coming weeks and months, there will be an online survey to provide feedback, continued social media updates, and more community conversations scheduled.

For those looking for email updates, click here to sign up through Norton's website.

"We have to have partnerships with the community and we have to have partnerships with the faith partners if this is going to work and sustain and we are absolutely certain that it will," Cox said.

Those from the committee who spoke were all in favor of the plans.

"You've answered my dream," said Angela Bowens, District 1 councilmember who lives in west Louisville.

"This project will change west Louisville and I, from the bottom of my heart, want to say 'thank you,'" Metro Council President David James added.

Moody Nolan has been selected as the architect firm for the project. The next step is to choose a general contractor, which is expected to happen this spring.

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