$325M shores up hospital expansion in South Texas

​​​​​CORPUS CHRISTI – Construction of the Dr. Hector P. Garcia-Memorial Health Center remains on pace to finish this year.

It was long believed after its November groundbreaking that work on the clinic would wrap up in 2016. 

Heavy rains slowed progress on the roof, throwing the time line into some doubt, said John A. Michael, principal and project engineer.

Construction is back on track, and is expected to be done by December.

Michael said the 43,000-sf clinic’s walls have been up for weeks, as has its brick exterior. 

The clinic, named for the iconic surgeon and Hispanic civil rights advocate, is part of the health system’s $325 million expansion plans that also include renovations at Shoreline, a Christus Spohn hospital.

Elkins said those plans remain on track and are expected to be completed by fall 2018. 

The clinic also will replace Memorial, a Level II trauma center that will be demolished by the end of that year.

The health system is responsible for the demolition, estimated to cost between $4 million and $6 million.​