By KATIE MCDOWELL/General Manager

HOOVER – Dozens of people broke ground on St. Vincent’s One Nineteen expansion on Oct. 30.

St. Vincent’s Health System leaders encouraged everyone present at the ceremony – from politicians to patients – to participate.

‘We’re going to actually break ground together because this is not St. Vincent’s Health System’s or One Nineteen’s facility, this is yours,” said Nan Priest, executive vice president and chief strategy officer of St. Vincent’s Health System.

The 40,000-square-foot expansion, which is projected to open in fall 2015, will include a professional office building, operating rooms, an urgent care center and an ambulatory surgery center. Brasfield and Gorrie is the general contractor and Birchfield, Penuel and Associates is the architect.

“We’re celebrating 10 years of occupancy here on this campus in Shelby County in January and we’re thrilled to be adding new services to the community for those that come to this area,” said Stephanie Holderby, executive director of St. Vincent’s One Nineteen and vice president of operations of St. Vincent’s Ambulatory Healthcare Network.

The expansion has been part of the “One Nineteen dream” since plans for the facility were first discussed in 2002, Priest said. At the time, about one out of five patients visiting St. Vincent’s downtown campus lived along the U.S. 280 corridor.
St. Vincent’s One Nineteen was planned to offer integrated health and wellness services. The facility opened in January 2005.

“It was on that day that we made a promise to create a truly person-centered model of care at this facility, to constantly look for new and innovative ways to better serve your needs and to offer ever-expanding health and wellness services in our community,” Priest said.

St. Vincent’s One Nineteen currently has 35 physicians and 14 specialties, including cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, medicine, obstetrics and gynecology. The facility also has a spa, fitness center, GI services and lab and rehabilitation services.

Located on the top floor of St. Vincent’s One Nineteen, Birmingham Internal Medicine Associates has witnessed the facility’s growth over the last decade.

Dr. John Farley, St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Medical Director and president of BIMA, has been with One Nineteen since “day one” when the practice was located in Birmingham.

“We started out about 10 years ago, a couple of half days a week, and now we have grown to have 10 providers and we hope to hire another in a couple of months and another one after that,” he said.

Dr. Jason Smith, a BIMA partner, said patients enjoy receiving health care close to home.

“I think the biggest thing is being able to get care where you live,” he said.

While they serve many residents from the north Shelby County area, they also have patients from the Birmingham metro area and even Anniston, Gadsden and Tuscaloosa.