Mahoning Valley campus of Akron Children’s Hospital marks 1st anniversary

By William K. Alcorn

‘We came into this community with the goal of building on the good work that Tod Children’s Hospital did,’said Akron Children’s CEO.

BOARDMAN — William Considine almost purrs when he talks about the first year of operations at Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley Beeghly Campus.

The Beeghly Campus has that residential look, said Considine, president and chief executive officer at Akron Children’s for 30 years.

“Through the eyes of a child, it is very welcoming. I don’t know who designed it, but it is almost made to be a place that families bring their children to be taken care of,” he said.

Community leaders also praised Akron Children’s Mahoning Valley on its first anniversary.

Akron Children’s filled the void in pediatric care created when the Forum Health Board of Trustees closed Tod Children’s, and it occupies the physical space that previously housed Forum’s Women and Infants Pavilion in Beeghly Medical Park on Market Street.

Humility of Mary Health Partners and Akron Children’s shared equally in the $26 million paid to Forum for the facility.

Additionally, Akron Children’s spent $11 million on construction to convert the former Women and Infants Pavilion into a pediatric hospital and $7 million on equipment and furnishings.

The hospital, which opened Dec. 8, 2008, celebrates its first anniversary Tuesday.

“We don’t think year one could have been any better given the economy. It’s a wonderful reason for celebration and reason to give the Mahoning Valley a big hug,” Considine said.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.