An architect's rendering shows an exterior view of what would be the newly constructed surgery center at Grundy County Memorial Hospital in Grundy Center. The dedicated entrance will provide much-needed space for the growing number of surgery patients at GCMH to arrive and check-in and will add to the visibility of the hospital from Highway 175. – Image courtesy of Grundy County Memorial Hospital

Grundy County Memorial Hospital is marking its upcoming 70th anniversary by kicking off a $31 million project to improve its surgery, laboratory, and imaging departments. Groundbreaking for the new hospital addition is set for Wednesday, June 29 in Grundy Center, and caps a three-year planning process.

The hospital’s Board of Commissioners gave its final approval to the project in February, a package that includes USDA Rural Development long term loans and local bank financing was finalized in April, and bids for the project were awarded in early May. The two-phase project begins with new construction of a 24,000 square foot addition which includes a new Surgery Department, featuring expanded pre- and post-op rooms, two larger operating rooms, and a dedicated entrance and parking area.

An expanded Radiology & Imaging department will occupy a portion of the new building, providing MRI and CT services side-by-side in a location that supports improved safety and efficiency. Once the surgery moves to its new space, the existing lab can be expanded to double its current size.

The entire project is slated for completion in Spring 2024. Grundy County Memorial Hospital is a critical access hospital affiliated with the Waterloo region of UnityPoint Health.

It opened its doors on July 1, 1952, as one of Iowa’s Veteran’s memorial hospitals, and continues its affiliation with Grundy County, recording more than 50,000 patient visits annually for a variety of outpatient, emergency, and medical and surgical health care needs.