Mercy Fort Smith Starts Construction on $42 Million Hospital

Mercy Fort Smith said Tuesday that it started construction on a $42 million, 24-bed orthopedic hospital.

The building will be at the Mercy River Valley campus and should be ready in about two years, according to a Mercy news release.

The project is part of Mercy’s plan announced in August 2011 to spend $192 million on capital projects in Fort Smith over seven years.

Mercy acquired the property in February 2011. The former owners, Phoenix Health Associates LLC of Fort Smith, started construction on a hospital at the site, but stopped it in 2009.

“We need to start fresh to incorporate design elements important to our patients, community and Mercy,” said Ryan Bader, Mercy planning, design and construction manager in the news release. “We only have one shot at this, and we want to get it right.”

The hospital mainly will treat adults who need joint replacement surgery but are otherwise healthy.

Mercy will have 100 to 125 workers at the hospital when its operational.