Carle Health will spend close to $8 million to modernize Pekin Hospital, retiring unused and aging spaces with a focus on patient-based improvements.
The project will include upgraded infrastructure, addition of a new café, green space enhancements and improved access throughout the hospital.
Carle said the work is part of a long-term vision to strengthen efficiency and safety at the hospital.
“This project is more than construction; it’s a commitment to the Pekin community,” Tony Howard, the hospital’s administrator and Carle’s vice president of support services, said in a media release.
“Carle Health is dedicated to honoring our Pekin legacy and traditions through this modernization and make the updates necessary to provide exceptional care for every community member in need for future generations.”
The project’s first phase is already underway, with the few services still remaining in the hospital’s south tower relocated.
The two towers are slated for demolition as construction of the café progresses, expected in the middle of this year. Completion of infrastructure updates and exterior beautification efforts is targeted for next year.
