Ceremony jump starts hospital construction

Expansion will bring parish’s health care to a new level

Photo by Heather R. Breaux

Hospital CEO, Federico Martinez, showing his wilder side by breaking ground with his flaming Harley Davidson hard hat.

Representatives of the parish’s health system gathered on Sept. 8 to celebrate the expansion of the St. Charles Parish Hospital with a ground breaking ceremony.

After a warm welcome from hospital CEO, Federico Martinez and a blessing by Rev. George Fischer, members of the hospital board and parish government adorned with hard hats and gold shovels were the first to break ground for the project.

Speeches by Parish President Albert Laque and councilman Brian Fabre emphasized the excitement and importance that the new addition will bring to the parish’s health care system.

“When I was growing up, this hospital had kind of a bad reputation, but these days, the bad comments are few and far in between," said Fabre.

This site is the future home of the three story building that will house a new and improved intensive care unit, a surgical medical unit, an adult inpatient psychiatric unit, larger and more advanced cardiology and dialysis centers, and outpatient services.

Last month the total cost for the project was bid by Landis Construction of New Orleans at just under $14 million.

Construction will begin within the next 30 days and should take approximately 15 months to complete.