St. Joseph's/Candler announces plans for new regional medical facility near Bryan County megasite
Zoe NicholsonSt. Joseph's/Candler Health System announced Thursday that it plans to build a medical complex on six acres it has purchased near the Bryan County Mega-site at the I-16/Highway 280 interchange.
The medical facility eventually will encompass 40,000 square feet of space at full build-out and will include office space for the Development Authority of Bryan County. The DABC was also a key player in acquiring the adjacent 2,200-acre mega-site.
The mega-site is a large swath of undeveloped land purchased earlier this year with state and local funds to boost the already-booming industrial growth of the region. Marketing to potential tenants begins soon. The state, in partnership with the Savannah Harbor-Interstate 16 Corridor Joint Development Authority (JDA), purchased the land for $61 million.
More:$61 million purchase of Bryan County mega-site finalized, marking largest project in GA history
The mega-site will be the first of its kind for Bryan County, which grew by 48% between 2010 and 2020, according to census data. The tract where the mega-site is located saw 17% population growth.
The most growth for that area was in the multiracial demographic, growing from about 1% to more than 5% of the population share over the past decade.
Despite the area's boom, residents have limited access to health care in their own communities. The closest hospital for Pembroke residents is nearly 40 miles away in Savannah. Urgent care is nearly 30 miles away in Pooler.
"St. Joseph’s/Candler has worked very hard in recent years to identify areas of our community [that] need more access to health care services," CEO Paul Hinchey said in a statement released from the regional health system. "This particular portion of Bryan County has been part of our growth and access strategy for some time."
The hospital system is also opening an oncology clinic in Pembroke to serve cancer patients in North Bryan and Effingham counties.
The property will require rezoning from industrial to commercial before sitework can begin. The first phase will include a two-story, 20,000-square-foot building aimed at serving "primary health care services" such as primary physicians, urgent care, occupational therapy and in-demand diagnostic and clinical services. From there, the six-acre site will be developed to meet the needs of the community.
Zoe covers growth and how it impacts communities in the Savannah area. Find her at znicholson@gannett.com, @zoenicholson_ on Twitter, and @zoenicholsonreporter on Instagram.