North Carolina Construction News staff writer
Construction is underway on a new Montgomery Memorial Hospital, a $43.2 million project that FirstHealth says will strengthen rural health care in Montgomery County.
The public was invited to a groundbreaking ceremony at noon today at 543 Wood Street, the site of the former FirstHealth Community Health building. Parking is available in the lower lot off Byrd Street.
The 40,000-square-foot facility will replace the existing hospital and include inpatient beds, emergency room bays, a procedure room and space for all current inpatient, outpatient and observation services.
“We are looking forward to hosting the community on March 25 as we celebrate what’s to come on the Montgomery Memorial campus,” said Mickey W. Foster, MHA, chief executive officer for FirstHealth. “So many people have worked tirelessly to get us to this place, and we look forward to seeing the expanded campus transform as we build a replacement hospital.”
The new location is near Montgomery Memorial’s medical office building, allowing for future expansion while keeping the hospital in the heart of the county. Construction is expected to be complete by June 2027, with abatement and demolition of the existing hospital scheduled for November 2027.
Montgomery Memorial joined the FirstHealth system in 1995 after struggling to remain financially viable and earned Critical Access Hospital designation in 1999, helping stabilize rural health care delivery.
“Replacing Montgomery Memorial Hospital is not just about bricks and mortar — it’s about investing in the future of rural health care at a time when many systems are having to close rural hospitals,” Kerry Herbine, president of FirstHealth’s western region and administrator of Montgomery Memorial Hospital, said in a statement. “The new hospital will strengthen our ability to provide excellent, accessible care while creating a foundation for growth in primary and specialty services as our community’s needs expand.”