Economy halts expansion at LaPorte Hospital

BY STAN MADDUX, Times of Northwest Indiana Correspondent

LaPORTE | The current expansion at LaPorte Hospital came to a halt Friday, the latest victim of the economy.

Work was stopped Friday on the hospital's much larger Maternal Care Center, a project that started last summer.

Construction of a new building containing more offices for hospital-affiliated doctors at nearby Founder's Square -- which also began several months ago -- also stopped.

The downturn in the economy and rising construction costs were behind the decision to postpone the work, said Stacey Kellogg, director of marketing for LaPorte Regional Health System, the hospital's parent company.

A project to add on to the existing hospital-owned Community Health Center at Founder's Square to double the space for medical and dental services will continue.

That project, costing $1.2 million, is funded in part by a $500,000 state grant, and a work stoppage could result in the hospital having to give back the grant.

Kellogg said economic troubles have left the hospital with reduced capital reserved to fund major construction work.

When both projects will resume hinges on when the economy stabilizes on a consistent basis, she said.

'We're going to keep a close eye on the market. We're looking at it on a daily basis really,' Kellogg said.

Originally, expansion of the maternal ward section was set for completion in 2010.

Plans include the addition of 12 hotel-style rooms to better accommodate labor, delivery and post-partem care as well as a new nurse's station, physician sleeping quarters and waiting room.

Kellogg said the 10,000-square-foot 'core and shell' of the expanded maternal ward has been constructed.

Kellogg said the current maternity ward is still functioning as normal under the delay.

'We're still delivering babies. It's not affecting patient care here at all,' Kellogg said.

The project manager is Larson-Danielson Construction, of LaPorte, which had to send home about 20 workers from both sites.

Tim Larson, president of the company, said efforts are being made to find other work for the laborers.

'With the economy the way it is, there's not a whole lot of work out there,' Larson said.

The Community Health Center provides medical and dental care for low-income people and families without insurance.