Phoebe board of directors approve $140 million project

The board approved the project Wednesday afternoon

ALBANY, Ga. – Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital is well on its way of receiving a new emergency room, trauma center, and NICU after the board of directors approved a $140 million plan for major construction.

Now that the plan has been approved, the next step is to apply for certificates of need for the projects from the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH). A new 4-story tower will then be constructed on the north side of the main hospital and will connect to the ER.

City Commissioners voted in favor to close W. 4th Ave. in the middle of the 400 block so that construction can take place in and across the road. But Phoebe’s CEO Joe Austin wants those who are concerned about the road closure to look at the ending result of this project.

“I think the benefits the community at large are going to gain over the closure of the one small piece of the street far out strips the potential inconvenience of going one block over.” says Austin.

The first floor will house the emergency department and trauma center, with the second floor kept for the care of premature infants in the NICU. The ICU will be above the NICU on the third floor, with 20 new beds which will expand the hospitals critical care capacity to 60 beds in all. The fourth floor will be held as shell space and made available for future expansion needs. With all of this, another positive outcome to the closure of W. 4th Ave will be more jobs.

“What you will see happen is there will be additional jobs added to our work force. We estimate in some place putting 125 150 jobs will be added to the Albany market.” said Austin.

In addition, Phoebe plans to also apply for another certificate of need asking the state to expand its NICU to around 50 more beds in addition to the 27 licensed beds they already have, but average 40 NICU patients daily. Phoebe is looking at early 2025 for a completion date.