There is no set date to break ground if the project is approved, but construction is expected to start in 2018.
HACKENSACK -- Hackensack University Medical Center is designing a new tower along Second Street in Hackensack that, if approved, would add new operating rooms and private patient rooms.
An architectural firm began constructing preliminary designs a few months ago and is expected to complete the programming work within the next four to six weeks, said Mark D. Sparta, executive vice president, chief operating officer at HackensackUMC and executive vice president, population health clinical operations at Hackensack Meridian Health Network.
The new tower, expected to be about 300,000 square feet, would be located along Second Street between Essex and Atlantic Streets. The tower would be "just to the east" of the existing main hospital building, Sparta said.
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Once the plans are finalized by the hospital, the designs will be submitted to the state for approval. If approved, the hospital would then apply for local permits.
The building would include new operating rooms, replace some Intensive Care Unit beds and add others and add three floors of private rooms, Sparta said.
The current ICU beds and operating rooms will be "repurposed," he said.
"It's really a pretty ambitious project but it's one that we think will really be necessary as we anticipate our growth into the future," said Robert Garrett co-CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health.
Hackensack is the largest employer in Bergen County with 7,834 employees. There is no set date to break ground, but construction is expected to start in 2018.
Sparta said that the project had not focused on creating jobs, but that it was "reasonable" to think there would be "incremental staffing needs" to accommodate the expansion.
Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde.