Hospital finalizing plans for expansion

By William K. ALCORN

alcorn@vindy.com

ALLIANCE

Alliance Community Hospital has started a $1.8 million beautification and expansion project that includes creating a new main entrance at the southwest corner of the hospital campus.

“We’re looking to beautify that corner in a way that compliments our closeness with the University of Mount Union, both in proximity and shared missions and values for our community,” said Bob Kroupa, vice president of support services.

Within the past few years, the hospital purchased buildings that formerly housed a Rent-A-Center and Manhattan Dry Cleaning businesses and razed them to make way for the new campus entrance at the corner of Union Avenue and State Street.

Preparing the corner involved razing the buildings and leveling the area in order to plant trees, install benches and create a park-like setting. The hospital is working with architects now to finalize plans for the project.

“We were hoping to begin construction this fall, but it looks now like the project will get under way in the spring,” Kroupa said.

In addition, Alliance Community is planning to expand and renovate its Medical Plaza adjacent to the hospital, which plans to incorporate orthopedic, sports medicine and physical-therapy services in one area.

“We identified a need for increased services in this field and, as a result, have established the Alliance Institute of Musculoskeletal Medicine, a comprehensive orthopedic, sports medicine and rehabilitation program,” said Kroupa.

Work on the Medical Plaza, which also houses the hospital’s Wound Center, is expected to get under way this year.

Kroupa said the project includes a 3,000-square-foot expansion and remodeling of 12,000 square feet of existing space.

The expansion and beautification plan is in its infancy and will be completed by late 2011, Kroupa said.

Alliance Community is a 106-bed hospital with about 1,000 employees.