Demolition makes way for SMH bed tower

Sarasota Memorial Hospital is calling today D-Day – as in demolition day. Today crews began tearing down the hospital’s old energy center to pave the way for work to begin on its new bed tower.

The nine-floor tower is part of a $250 million campus-improvement plan. It will house private patient rooms, labor and delivery suites, a state-of-the-art intensive care nursery and new orthopedic, medical and surgical units.

The improvements will replace 1950s-era patient rooms in the oldest wings of the hospital.

Sarasota Memorial President and CEO Gwen MacKenzie said she’s excited for see the coming changes.

“People have been waiting for this for a long time,” she said.

Construction is expected to last up to three years to complete.

Contact Robin Roy at [email protected].