Sentara Healthcare officials, joined by Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County leaders, break ground on the new hospital Sentara it is building on its $200 million hospital campus at Halstead Boulevard Extended and Thunder Road, Thursday evening. Pictured are (middle left) Sentara Healthcare President Howard Kern; Lloyd Griffin (middle), chairman of the Pasquotank Board of Commissioners and Dr. Phil Jackson (middle right), president of Sentara Albemarle Medical Center.
Sentara Healthcare officials, joined by Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County leaders, break ground on the new hospital Sentara it is building on its $200 million hospital campus at Halstead Boulevard Extended and Thunder Road, Thursday evening. Pictured are (middle left) Sentara Healthcare President Howard Kern; Lloyd Griffin (middle), chairman of the Pasquotank Board of Commissioners and Dr. Phil Jackson (middle right), president of Sentara Albemarle Medical Center.
Sentara Healthcare and local officials broke ground on the new hospital being constructed at the site of the $200 million Sentara Albemarle Regional Health Campus on Thursday.
Attending the groundbreaking were several ranking Sentara officials, plus Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County leaders, as well as Sentara staff and community members. The ceremony was held on the site of the future medical campus now under construction at Halstead Boulevard Extended and Thunder Road.
“The new hospital will be modern, efficient and reflect the current trends in healthcare,” said Dr. Phil Jackson, president of Sentara Albemarle Medical Center. “Just as we started planning for this new hospital, healthcare has changed dramatically. As the healthcare needs of our community evolved, so have we. Procedures are more precise, less invasive than ever; surgeries that used to be required, recovery in the hospital now can be done on an outpatient basis.”
Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony also included comments from Sentara Healthcare President and CEO Howard Kern.
Kern, who is retiring in August after 42 years with Sentara Healthcare, recalled his role working with the Elizabeth City hospital, dating back to 1982 when it was known as Albemarle Hospital.
“Sentara has been really dedicated to its mission to improve health every day and is doing this in Elizabeth City and northeast North Carolina,” Kern said. “Breaking ground here today on the new Sentara Albemarle Medical Center reinforces that commitment for many, many years to come.”
Present for Thursday’s groundbreaking was Dennis Matheis, Kern’s designated successor as Sentara Healthcare president and CEO. Matheis will succeed Kern on Sept. 1.
Following Kern to the podium was Lloyd Griffin, chairman of the Pasquotank County Board of Commissioners. Griffin joked that one day he might have to rely on the services of the new hospital.
“It’s a great investment in our community, and Pasquotank County is thankful for what Sentara has done,” he said.
New Elizabeth City Mayor Kirk Rivers also spoke at Thursday’s groundbreaking. He said the community is excited that Sentara chose Pasquotank County as a spot to invest $200 million in a new hospital.
“You’re putting a legacy $200 million in our economy” that will bring jobs, doctors and workers to the area, the mayor said.
Rivers thanked Sentara on behalf of the city for its investment.
“We thank you,” he said, turning to Kern, who was seated behind him. “We appreciate you and we look forward to great things and working together so we can always continue to say, ‘Elizabeth City is a Sentara city.’”
Sentara anticipates the new hospital being ready to open by early 2025.
The new 235,000-square-foot hospital will include nearly 90 patient beds and be built to accommodate future expansion. The medical campus will encompass 135 acres and include an 83,000-square-foot medical office building that is currently under construction.
Officials broke ground on the office building last year.
