Reid Health breaks ground on new Connersville facility project

Oct. 20, 2022 -- Community leaders, students, Boy Scouts, and more gathered Wednesday to help mark the formal beginning of a project that will see Reid Health build a $100 million facility in Connersville over the next two years.

A groundbreaking ceremony took place at the eventual new home of Reid Health - Connersville, 2500 Park Road on the city's northeast side. When completed in 2024, the building is expected to be a two-story, 177,000-square-foot outpatient facility that will serve as a replacement for the 100-year-old campus that now stands at 1941 Virginia Ave.

"This will be a modern, state-of-the-art facility tailored to meet the needs of the community, where you'll be able to receive a high level of care in an outpatient setting without having to travel," said Craig Kinyon, Reid Health President/CEO.

"This investment will allow us to continue to add services and technologies as healthcare evolves over the coming years."

Reid Health acquired a substantial portion of the assets from Fayette Regional Health System in July 2019 after Fayette Regional filed for bankruptcy protection. At the time, Reid officials pledged to ensure the community has access to a variety of high-quality healthcare services in the years to come.

"We are keeping that promise. Reid is fully committed to meeting the needs of those we serve, as we say, 'one person at a time.' This facility will provide ready access to the latest healthcare technologies and to a larger number of healthcare services," said Tom Hilkert, Chair of the Reid Health Governing Board.

"Our vision, as an organization, includes three key precepts -- healthier people, thriving communities, and being a trusted partner. We are confident this project will help us achieve all three of these goals here in Connersville and Fayette County."

Local officials thanked Reid for living up to the pledge the health system made three years ago.

"I'm excited to be here today, but I'm more excited that Reid is honoring their commitment to provide access to quality healthcare," said Connersville Mayor Chad Frank. "It's very hard for communities to grow without that access, so what Reid is doing here by honoring that commitment goes a long way with me personally."

"This is one of those monumental days that we will all remember for years to come," said Dan Parker, President/CEO of the Fayette County Economic Development Group. "I am thankful for this event and for what will follow with construction of what I know will be a beautiful addition to our city and county."

"We are keeping that promise. Reid is fully committed to meeting the needs of those we serve, as we say, 'one person at a time.' This facility will provide ready access to the latest healthcare technologies and to a larger number of healthcare services. Our vision, as an organization, includes three key precepts -- healthier people, thriving communities, and being a trusted partner. We are confident this project will help us achieve all three of these goals here in Connersville and Fayette County." -- Tom Hilkert, Chair of the Reid Health Governing Board

Students from Fayette County schools were among those who participated in the groundbreaking, representing the promise the new hospital makes to the community for generations to come.

"I am excited Reid has chosen to build a new facility in Connersville," said Jocelyn McClung, a senior and the student government president at Connersville High School. "Reid will be a huge asset to the athlete injured on the field, the mom ready to give birth, and the injured citizen requiring a helicopter transport."

Reid officials say starting over with a new facility is the most efficient, cost-effective solution for the problems posed by the Virginia Avenue complex, which has space limitations and needs expensive repairs for HVAC equipment, the roof, windows, and other systems that are either at the end of their lifecycle or already past it.

The new facility will include an Emergency Department with a helipad, radiology and laboratory services, and a mix of primary and specialty care options for patients. Some of those services are expected to include cardiology, oncology, OB/GYN, orthopedic, cardio-pulmonary rehab, podiatry, rehab services (physical therapy and occupational therapy), audiology, sleep disorder services, wound healing, and ear, nose, and throat.

Hospital administration and planning teams are actively working with architects to determine the final plans for the building. Work is expected to be completed in 2024, depending on weather and other factors that commonly impact construction.

"We're very excited about this project and the momentum we hope it will help create for Connersville and Fayette County," Kinyon said. "We hope this will inspire others to make their own commitments to the region and be a springboard for even better things to come."

Regular updates about the project will be available on the Reid Health website at reidhealth.org/buildup. In addition to news about construction timelines, planned healthcare services to be available once the new building opens, and celebration events, residents can submit questions about the project through that page.

Later this week, Reid is inviting the community to a special event called The Big Build Bash!, which will take place 2-8 p.m. Saturday at Roberts Park. Vendors and food trucks will be on hand, with a free concert beginning at 5 p.m. In conjunction with the celebration, Kunkel's Drive-in will host a cruise-in at their location from noon to 3 p.m.

"We're very excited about this project and the momentum we hope it will help create for Connersville and Fayette County. We hope this will inspire others to make their own commitments to the region and be a springboard for even better things to come." -- Craig Kinyon, Reid Health President/CEO

Guest speakers

Wednesday's groundbreaking featured a variety of speakers representing healthcare, government, and Connersville schools, including:

• Craig Kinyon, President/CEO, Reid Health
• Brian Tabor, President, Indiana Hospital Association
• Billie Kester, Vice President of Continuum of Care, Reid Health
• Dr. Bradley DuBois, Physician, Whitewater Valley Primary Care
• Dan Parker, President/CEO, Fayette County Economic Development Group
• Chad Frank, Mayor of Connersville
• Jeff Raatz, Indiana State Senator
• Jennifer Counceller, NP, Whitewater Valley Primary Care
• Jocelyn McClung, Connersville High School senior
• Dr. Jordan Parrett, ER Physician, Reid Health - Connersville
• Tom Hilkert, Chair, Reid Health Governing Board