St. Luke’s Celebrates Next Steps Of New Expansion Project

DULUTH, Minn. — The weather cooperated, and it was a beautiful day for a ceremonial groundbreaking.

In fact, you might say it was just what the doctor ordered. St. Luke’s was celebrating the next steps in expanding its hospital campus.

“Building A” will add three new stories. The $58-million project includes 60 new rooms for cardiac and intensive care. Hospital staff say that with the new layout, admission and treatment will be more efficient and patient friendly.

“They arrive either by air or by ground, right up here, above us. And then they go to the emergency department, and then end up down in the cardiac cath lab, and then to the cardiac floor. All in one space rather than having to travel through all the various buildings and hallways, and so they’ll be much more comfortable. The other thing is having all private rooms is a really big improvement for all of our patients in the entirety of the hospital, not just the cardiac floor. And then to be able to be discharged and then rehabilitate in the same building, this is going to be their own heart home if you will,” said Dr. Scott Mikesell, St. Luke’s Cardia Catheterization Lab Director.

Another major part of the project is rebuilding the Northland Hospital Ramp. That work should be completed a year from now, in the spring. And the work on the inpatient units should be done by the fall of next year.