WILKES-BARRE -- Wilkes-Barre General Hospital is planning a $40 million facelift.
Since there's not much room to build around the hospital on North River Street, officials want to build up, adding three floors on top of its Heart and Vascular Institute. The floors will feature state-of-the-art intensive and critical care units.
“You will feel like you walked into the Star Trek Enterprise, that's how technologically inclined they're going to be,” said Bob Hoffman, chief nursing officer.
It will also house almost three dozen private beds.
“Getting away from semi-privates, that will make people a lot happier,” said Jay Cruikshank, who also works at the hospital.
“If someone's very sick next to you, it's very hard to cope with that while you're dealing with your own family,” added Donna Kuvicki, a hospital visitor.
Plus, about 200 patient rooms in the main part of the hospital are expected to be renovated.
“That'll just make it that much better. It's beautiful inside as it is, so that will just make it that much better, said Richard Irwin, a hospital visitor.
In order to build the new floors, the hospital needs permission from the city. It's hoping that comes this month, and if everything is approved, the project should be finished by the end of next year.
