Mercy Health files to build new emergency room facility in Trumbull County
Mercy Health is building a new 30,000-square-foot emergency room in Trumbull County.
"It's a huge day for Champion and Trumbull County," Commissioner Tony Bernard said.
21 News confirmed the plan to build the facility, which was submitted to the Champion Township Zoning Department on March 28.
The permit request approved by Champion zoning is to build a freestanding 25-bed emergency center with a helipad for lifeflights to land at the new location. The estimated cost of the facility is $30 million.
According to the filings, the new facility will be located on 68.22 acres in Champion Township between Kent State University, Trumbull Branch, and the Trumbull County Career & Technical Center, and will initially employ about 75 people.
The new emergency room will be built at 570 Educational Highway NW, just north of State Route 5 and east of State Route 45. The permit filed lists the name of a construction group based in Pittsburgh, Massaro Construction Group.
Mercy Health originally announced a new hospital for this site nearly three years ago, but that plan never came to fruition.
The original plan was to build a 400,000-square-foot facility with 241 beds and a medical office complex. In 2022, Mercy Health – Lorain and Youngstown President Dr. John Luellen said, "Given St. Joseph Warren’s current landlocked location and Trumbull County’s growing health care demands, our leadership team identified an opportunity to better serve the community and expand St. Joseph Warren Hospital.”
Since that plan was originally announced, the former Steward-owned hospitals, Trumbull Regional and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital, were sold to Insight, but both closed in mid-March and have yet to reopen.
Trumbull County Commissioners told 21 News they hope the 25-bed emergency center project sparks bigger plans down the road for that property.
"This is step one of step two. Originally, they wanted to build the huge hospital here, and I'm asking them to, once this gets started, go on to phase two and build the entire hospital here in Champion township," Bernard said.
He said he's been waiting for this announcement and that commissioners have been working closely with Mercy Health.
"I'm happy because that tells me, and it tells the residents of Trumbull County that they're committed to this area, to that property that they purchased some time ago," he said, "I just think it's a matter of time until the large hospital gets built."
Champion Township Trustee Chairman Doug Emerine said the township is excited and enthusiastic about the emergency center and "worked hard on attracting and maintaining these plans since the beginning," and added, "The township is pleased Mercy Health has chosen to move forward with the project."
21 News reached out to Mercy Health for comment on the plan, which provided the following statement:
"As Mercy Health responds and adapts to the ever-changing health care needs of the Mahoning Valley, we are exploring opportunities to expand access to emergency care in Trumbull County. We continue to evaluate new, enhanced points of care and conduct due diligence work in good faith to ensure our ministry serves the needs of the community, now and in the decades to come."
The new Mercy Health emergency room is expected to be completed by December 2026.
RELATED STORY
