Doral Getting First Hospital As Population Continues To Rise
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – It is a $250 million project that brings Doral its first hospital.
Nestled right up next to the Palmetto Expressway and 25th Street, the Jackson West Medical Center is rising fast.
That's not surprising considering that up 300 workers could be on the site at one time.
With an expected finish date of May 2020, the 100 bed hospital may look out of place in the midst of a warehouse industrial area.
"You have over 60,000 people who live here already full time, and approximately 50 to 70,000 people daytime that work here," said Carlos Migoya, President of Jackson Health System.
Migoya says that the 585,000 residents living in and around the Doral, Sweetwater and Miami Springs area have dealt with increasingly frustrating traffic.
"The fact is Doral has grown tremendously and if you look at the five year plan, you will have more than 100,000 people living here," said Migoya.
Other hospital organizations went to court to try and halt the project, saying that Doral was already well served by existing hospitals.
"If you live in Doral, the closest hospital here is seven miles," said Migoya. "Seven miles in Doral is like dog years because of the traffic."
The hospital will include an adult and pediatric emergency room, diagnostic center, outpatient clinics, a children's clinic, a separate office facility and the 100 bed inpatient hospital.
Construction costs are covered by a bond issue and funds from Jackson Health System, which Migoya says is now earning money.
"The demographics here, the growth in Doral, there has been a need for a complete medical center," said Migoya.
