Salem Community Hospital places final beam - 21 News Now, More Local News for Youngstown, Ohio -

SALEM, Ohio - A major project along the city's main drag has hit a milestone.

Dozens came to watch as the final beam of Salem Community Hospital's new addition was raised into place.

The beam will be a permanent fixture in the hospital and houses hundreds of signatures.

"The signatures are for part of history on the building and there is a lot of patients who have come and signed it and talked about what the hospital has meant to them," said Steve Ruwoldt, Preisdent and CEO of the hospital.

The new addition will include more room for parking and three floors of patient bedrooms, each with enhanced bedside technology. Overall, it's more than a $42 million investment.

"I'ts a great symbol of the growth in our community and it's going to be a very worth while project," Ruwoldt said.

Once the hospital is complete, it will include 87 private rooms.

"The rooms will allow the families to stay with the patients pretty much all the time," said Dr. Walter Dombroski.

"I think everybody likes to, if they have to go to the hospital, to be close to home and this way, we don't have to go to Youngstown or Canton or Cleveland or some place else," said visitor Janice Bethel.

The addition is slated to be done in early 2014. Hospital officials said the expansion will replace patient bedrooms that are currently in use. At this time, no additional staffing will be needed.