The New East: Construction Milestones

Construction of the new Community East occurred in several phases, all designed to not disrupt patient care. Buildings 5 and 1 were the first to be come down to pave the way for the construction of the new patient tower, which housed patients in early 2019. Later in 2019, Building 2 came down, followed by construction of the new main entry to the hospital, which was completed in late 2020.

Note: Content on this page is no longer being updated and should be considered archived material.

Project Timeline

April 2016: Building 5 demolition
July 2016: Building 1 demolition
July 2016 - January 2019: New patient tower construction
February 2019: Tower occupancy
November 2019 - April 2020: Building 2 demolition
June 2020 - October 2020: New main entry construction
October 24, 2020: Atrium opens
November 24, 2020: Registration opens
December 2020: Project complete!

What's in each building?

  • Building 1: Offices, pharmacy, kitchen, security, outpatient services of Advanced Heart Care, pulmonary, Wound Center
  • Building 2: Medical imaging, Emergency Department, cardiac cath/interventional radiology, ICU, PCU, CCU, neurology
  • Building 3: Classrooms, surgery, maternity, short stay, medical/surgical, orthopedics, oncology
  • Building 5: Employee Wellness Center, administrative offices, Copy Center
Topping Out Ceremony: April 26, 2017

On April 26, 2017 the topping out ceremony took place - almost a year to the day that the time capsules were opened. Watch as a beam with the names and well wishes of patients and caregivers rises five stories to top the new tower at Community Hospital East and the Pepper Construction crew puts the beam in place.

Time Capsule Opening: April 27, 2016

On April 27, 2016 time capsules buried in 1955 and 1991 on hospital grounds were opened. The items inside revealed a glimpse into Community East's historic past. Contents from 1955 included newspapers, pledges from hospital founding fathers, a vial of polio vaccine, list of original donors, photos, bylaws, an American flag with 48 stars, and an Eli Lilly book. The 1991 capsule included guiding principles, newspapers, a VHS tape with a Community commercial, photos, a training manual, t-shirt, American flag, brochures for coping with war, advertisements, coupons and magazines.

CHE time capsule markers 1955 and 1991
Ground Breaking: August 19, 2015

August 19, 2015—A new chapter began as the network broke ground on a brand new Community Hospital East. The $175 million dollar investment in the neighborhood sends a message of commitment to those who live there. Read more here or watch the video below for interviews and footage from the event.