Sarasota Memorial to build hospital in North Port

NORTH PORT, Fla. (WWSB) - Sarasota Memorial Hospital has begin preliminary work to build the first hospital inside the city limits of North Port.

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System says it has started master planning and pre-construction site work on a 32-acre undeveloped site in the 4900 block of Sumter Boulevard, near I-75. Sarasota Memorial bought the parcel in 2007 with a pledge from the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board to eventually build hospital in North Port.

The size, cost and construction schedule for the hospital are still being finalized. Hospital officials are meeting with North Port leaders Aug. 9 to discuss preliminary plans and the timeline for city permits needed before construction can start.

SMH-North Port will be hurricane hardened and offer emergency, acute medical and surgical care.

SMH says the campus also will include medical office buildings with primary and specialty physicians.

In a related move, SMH also is updating plans for an outpatient campus on property it owns in nearby Wellen Park and its existing North Port facility.

As it did in Venice, SMH plans to create an Neighborhood Advisory Council to solicit input and feedback from nearby residents and businesses as plans unfold.