Rendering of new Nantucket Cottage Hospital
NANTUCKET – It’s been five years in the making, but a groundbreaking ceremony is being held for the new Nantucket Cottage Hospital on Saturday.
The hospital will be the island’s first in more than 60 years and is the result of the largest capital campaign in Nantucket history.
“It’s a brand-new facility that will serve the island residents and visitors for generations to come,” said hospital public information officer Jason Graziadei.
Staff, community members and donors to the project will participate in the ceremony, which is scheduled for 10 a.m.
The project is funded with private donations and to date organizers have raised just over $100 million with a goal of $120 million, which will fund the new hospital and a housing component of the project.
The current hospital was built in 1957.
“It has served the island well for many years, but it’s simply a building that’s sort of come to the end of its useful life,” said Graziadei. “It’s not designed for how we practice and we operate as a hospital today.”
The new building will be about 106,000 square feet on two floors and wraps around the current building.
Visitors to Nantucket will start to see the facility take shape over the summer as the foundation gets done and the steel rises.
A grand opening is planned for late 2018 and the final phase of the project includes taking down the current building, which will become a major part of the parking area for the new hospital.
“This is a very momentous occasion for Nantucket Cottage Hospital and the community at large,” said Graziadei.
By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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