Medical Center plans expansion

Hospital will get its first neonatal intensive care unit

JUPITER — A $300 million expansion is being planned for Jupiter Medical Center, and that includes the hospital’s first neonatal intensive care unit to care for premature or unhealthy babies.

The closest NICU center is at St. Mary’s in West Palm Beach, which is about a half hour away.

The Jupiter Town Council has approved construction on a five-story, 41,231-square-foot building which will include the NICU, along with two new floors of 29 inpatient beds, according to hospital spokeswoman Kathleen Ahern.

The project will also create a new main entrance to the medical center on the east side of the property and bring on 15 new staff doctors. “The Jupiter Medical Center has long desired a NICU, which is essential for the proper medical care of premature or ill newborns,” according to the application presented to Town Hall. The medical center now has enough babies born on site per year to qualify for a NICU.

“Having a NICU that is closer to residents of Jupiter and surrounding communities, will drastically shorten the travel time for high risk, early, or emergency pregnancies,” according to the application.

The development will be on the 27-acre parcel within the existing Jupiter Medical Center campus at South Dixie Highway and Jupiter Lakes Boulevard.

Construction should be complete by the fall of 2019.

ILLUSTRATION COURTESY JUPITER MEDICAL CENTER The expansion at Jupiter Medical Center is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2019.