New hospital on pace to open earlier than expected

GREENSBORO, Ga. (AP) -- Officials with St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital say a replacement hospital under construction in Greensboro is on pace to open this year. That would be months ahead of schedule.

"It's still too early to pin down an exact date, but I think it's safe to say we'll be celebrating Christmas in our new hospital," St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital President Montez Carter said in a statement.

St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital is a 25-bed critical access hospital serving the Greene County area, The Athens Banner-Herald reported (http://bit.ly/17jjC25). It will provide emergency care, inpatient care, surgical services, swing beds and outpatient services, such as diagnostic imaging, rehabilitation and a sleep disorders center.

Construction of the building is being done in phases. That has enabled workers to continue to work on the building's construction even when the weather was uncooperative, said Jep Pound, project manager with general contractor Brasfield and Gorrie.

Construction crews are now finishing interior details, landscaping and paving.

The organization's current facility on Siloam Road is nearing retirement after more than 60 years of service.