DICKSON CITY, Pa. -- Before the end of this year, a medical company based out of the Lehigh Valley could break ground on a new hospital in Lackawanna County.
The hospital will be added to an existing medical office in Dickson City.
Coordinated Health, based in the Lehigh Valley, plans to expand a building on Main Street in Dickson City. Officials with the borough say this plan has been in the works for a while when Coordinated Health bought Scranton Orthopedics over a year ago.
Main Street in Dickson City is one of the busiest streets in Lackawanna County and over the next few years, it will be getting a new look.
PennDOT plans to revamp the street in 2020 just in time for the borough's new hospital.
The plans hang on the wall inside Dickson City's borough building.
"With the main street corridor, we do have a revitalization project. I do think it's really going to open up to the downtown area," said Michael Fedorka, the president of Dickson City's planning commission.
Fedorka says the borough gave the OK last month for Coordinated Health to put a hospital on Main Street.
The company will expand its existing building -- the former Scranton Orthopedics building. Work could begin later this year.
"Not only jobs, we're hoping it'll also bring in homeowners, you know, for the Dickson City area, too," Fedorka said.
The borough doesn't know much yet about what services will be offered at the hospital but officials do know it will include 24 inpatient rooms and an emergency room. There are possible long-term plans for a trauma center.
To make room, about three buildings will have to be torn down, including a retail building right next door, but most of the tenants there have already moved out.
When it's done, the hospital will cover seven acres of land along Main Street where Carol Sohns operates Main Street Bagel. She says the hospital in her hometown will make her feel safer.
"They could use something closer to our area, you know, there's so many things that go on and they always have to be rushed to Scranton. I think it's great that they're going to have that. And I have to say, it's probably going to help my business, too," said Sohns.
Dickson City officials expect that Coordinated Health will be releasing more information about its plans as soon as it gets approval from the Department of Health. That could come later on this year.