Summer opening of new UofL Health hospital tower downtown a 'long time coming'

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It's been years in the making, but the new west tower of UofL Hospital in downtown Louisville will soon be ready.

Phase 1 of construction on the west tower expansion project on South Jackson Street is nearing completion, clearing the way for UofL Health to serve more patients downtown.

"It took a little bit to get out of the ground but it's moving very quickly, and we are looking forward to opening this summer," Steve Amsler, senior vice president of operations for UofL Health, said Wednesday.

The $186 million investment will create more than 300 new jobs in a hospital that will include a new surgery center and emergency department with 98 beds and 23 new operating rooms. UofL Health said new hires and their dependents will immediately be eligible for free undergraduate tuition to the University of Louisville.

"We always strive to be the people to address any need in the community," Amsler said. "This allows us to get you in quicker and let you see our physicians as soon as possible."

Inside the tower, the framework is up for the lobby, observation units and operating rooms.

"We have a lot of need for different surgeries, and getting them in was trouble under our current schedule," Amsler said.

The new tower will allow the hospital to treat more patients and reduce wait times. Once the seven-story tower is complete, UofL Hospital will expand to 360 private beds, 20 operating rooms and a new 24-bed observation unit.

"We've been running at capacity for a number of years," Amsler said Wednesday. "This has been a long time coming."

The west tower will open in phases, with Phase 1 expected to open this summer.

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