State Approves New Pinckneyville Hospital
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The Health Facilities Planning Board unanimously approved Pinckneyville<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271866867_1"> Community</span> Hospital's cerificate of need application to build a new facility near the intersection of Route 154 and White Walnut Road. The certificate of need was reviewed at the HFPB meeting in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271866867_2">Chicago</span> on April 20.
"All six of the board members present voted in favor of the project,"
Hospital Administrator Tom Hudgins said.
The next step in the project is to gather the final two pieces of
information for the HUD 242 loan guarantee application. Hudgins said he received one piece yesterday. It is the update on the phase one
environmental check.
He is still waiting for the second piece, an update of the survey on the
property, including all easements. The hospital board just approved a new easement at the April meeting. The new easement allows IDOT to put in a turn lane.
Hudgins said he hopes to have the HUD 242 application approved in early to mid-June. Paperwork takes an additional six to eight weeks after a project is approved. PCH is asking for an early release on the application that would allow dirt work for the new hospital to begin in July.
The hospital would have to use their own funds for the early stages of the work if early release is granted.
Hudgins says the hospital has sufficient funds for the first five payments, which should be more than enough to see them through the early release construction.
The total cost of the project on the certificate of need is $46 million.