Long-awaited Oviedo hospital groundbreaking set for September

Oviedo officials will help break ground on a new hospital in Oviedo on Sept. 24 and Mayor Dominic Persampiere said it will be far from a routine event.

"Oviedo has been working for a full-service hospital for well over 15 years," said Persampiere.  "Not only for our residents, but for all of East Seminole."

Plans for the 80-bed hospital, called Oviedo Medical Center, are in City Hall passing through the review process, a city official said. The mayor said it has been through one development review committee meeting so far.

The hospital received its Certificate of Need approval from the state more than a year ago.

The hospital is being built by Central Florida Regional Hospital next to a freestanding emergency room it opened a few years ago at 8300 Red Bug Lake Rd.

The emergency room was busy and helped the hospital document a need for a full hospital in Oviedo, where the nearest hospital is in Winter Park, more than 10 miles away.

"We are grateful for Central Florida Medical Center for making the commitment and working through it," said Mayor Persampiere. "We were left at the altar twice" by other hospital companies who had plans to build in the community.

The proposed hospital will be a freestanding, three-story structure that will include a range of inpatient services as well as diagnostics, surgery, dietary, medical/surgical, intensive care and women's services.

The hospital will be built at the existing Oviedo free-standing emergency department (FSED) currently operated by Central Florida Regional Hospital. The existing ER will become part of Oviedo Medical Center.

Sandy McPherson, marketing director for Central Florida Regional Hospital, would not release any details about the new hospital beyond the ground-breaking date, saying details will be available soon.

The project has a deadline for starting and finish site preparations, according to the state. It needs to have "commenced continuous construction, including completion of all site preparation activities and foundation forming" by Dec. 5.

The hospital's impact will go beyond a shorter drive to the hospital for Oviedo-area residents. Mayor Persampiere said the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission expects the hospital will have an economic impact of $146.6 million over a 10-year period and directly create 220 new jobs as well as 199 other related jobs in five years.

tburney@growthspotter.com or 407-420 6261