ORANGE PARK, Fla. --
A local hospital is breaking ground so it can grow and keep up with the growth in its community.
Orange Park Medical Center is expanding its emergency department. Right now, it covers about 16,000 square feet. Friday afternoon, hospital officials broke ground on a 13,000-square-foot addition.
The expansion and renovation will take place in phases and is expected to be finished in July 2012. During the last two phases, the existing emergency department will be renovated. Once the project is complete, there will be 44 private rooms in the emergency department.
The hospital has also built a new helipad to support the hospital's new Level 2 trauma center.
The expansion and renovation project will cost $18.6 million.
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