PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Work has begun at the location of the future Sacred Heart Hospital in Port St. Joe to ensure proper soil conditions and site elevation requirements are in place in preparation for pouring the building foundation and developing site infrastructure for the new hospital along Highway 98.

This portion of the site work is the first phase of a project by Sacred Heart Health System to build a $35 million hospital on land donated by The St. Joe Company. The ongoing work at the 27-acre site includes:

. Excavating and replacing soils that are not appropriate to support the building pads and other site requirements.
. Adding soils to raise key areas of the site to help protect the hospital from flood conditions or storm surge from a hurricane.
. Leveling and compacting the site with vibratory rollers to prepare for initiation of building foundation work.

Once this initial phase of work is completed, additional elements of the site work will begin, including installation of underground infrastructure and utilities support.  Substantial completion of the hospital is projected for late summer of 2009, with a facility opening to follow roughly 30 to 45 days thereafter.

The new Sacred Heart Hospital will provide quality health care to the residents of Gulf and Franklin counties with facilities that include:
. A community hospital with private rooms, an emergency department and two operating rooms.
. Laboratory services
. A medical office building to provide space for primary care and specialty physicians, as well as outpatient services
. A helipad to be used by Sacred Heart's AirHeart helicopter, providing rapid transport for trauma patients and other critically ill patients.

For more information about Sacred Heart Health System, visit www.sacred-heart.org. 

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