NAPLES, Fla. — Naples Community Hospital has proposed a new building for cardiac, vascular and stroke patients. It was talked about Tuesday at a public meeting.
“We want to consolidate all the cardiac and stroke and vascular care under one roof to make it efficient for the physicians, nurses, and for the patient," says Paul Hiltz, President and CEO of NCH.
The proposed facility, which has a price tag between $175 and $200 million, will be replacing the Telford building. Funds for the project are being raised through hospital donations.
The building was initially proposed to be six stories, but after consulting engineers, the number of floors was changed to five.
“We got feedback from the community and the council that they’d like the building to be no taller than the existing tower right here. We decided to work with the engineers to make it a five-story and we think we’ve done that in a really great way," explains Hiltz, of the change.
But some Naples residents had reservations about the proposed project - like Bill Jack, who lives just a block away from the hospital.
“People can build taller and taller and taller and the next thing you know we have 50, 100, 175-foot skyscrapers and so forth," explains Jack, who's main concern was the building's height.
Ultimately, he says that the facility would be a good thing.
“As I stated…as an old man with a bad heart, I would be an idiot to oppose having first-class heart capabilities, facilities available here in Naples," says Jack, with a smile.
But the facility still has some hurdles to jump before it's approved.
“We have a session with city council on March 8 - which is a work session, to try to figure out what will be the best most efficient way to get this building, one building, built. After that we’ll have a better idea of how that will be voted on by the city council," says Hiltz, of the approval process.
And if approved, it will be opening its doors to patients in late 2025.
You can view photos and read more about the planned facility by visiting their site here.
