TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

North Bay Expansion Is Approved

ADVERTISEMENT

By CHRISTIAN M. WADE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 20, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - The city council has signed off on preliminary site plans from one of the city's largest employers for a $39 million expansion project.

Morton Plant North Bay Hospital plans to enlarge its 120-bed Madison Street campus with two multistory additions as well as a new office building and walk-in clinic.

To do that, North Bay needs city approval to rezone several residential properties it has acquired and to close a section of Ohio Avenue between Madison and Forest Avenue.

The council unanimously approved the rezoning, initial site plans and road closing on Tuesday night. The approval will be final when the board votes again at a later meeting.

The preliminary site plans include additions to the southern end of the existing hospital, a separate four-story medical office building east of the proposed additions, and a proposed walk-in clinic to be built on Madison Street. Plans for the additions have been under way for several years.

Community Hospital and North Bay, the city's two largest employers, announced plans in 2002 to move their critical care operations to an area east of Seven Springs Boulevard.

North Bay, owned by Morton Plant Mease Health Care, had proposed a new facility next to its Trinity Outpatient Center. Community Hospital proposed a 376-bed hospital.

The state's Agency for Health Care Administration approved both relocations, but its decision was challenged in court. A March 2004 ruling by Florida Administrative Law Judge William R. Pfeiffer approved Community's move but rejected North Bay's.

The ruling was a major setback for Morton Plant in its bid to expand on a network of health care facilities in the region. The hospital didn't appeal the decision.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT