W.Va. approves Monongalia expansion

Monongalia General Hospital, Morgantown, W.Va., received state approval for an $82 million expansion and renovation project featuring a new 60-bed patient tower. The plan allows for up to 100,000 square feet in renovations and 200,000 square feet of new construction, said David Robertson, Monongalia president and chief executive officer, and includes a new emergency department, medical-surgical units and imaging and surgery departments. The move also would convert the facility to all private rooms -- a major reason for undergoing construction, Robertson said. No new services would be offered. Of the costs, about $30 million will go toward new equipment, design fees and financing costs. When the three-year project is completed, the hospital will have 189 beds, down from 207 current beds. The project, expected to break ground within one year, will be funded through tax-exempt bonds, Robertson said. -- by Susanna Moon