During this phase, officials are weighing whether the planned hospital has enough capacity and the correct specialities to meet the demands of Leander’s growing population, officials said.
Originally planned to be a 34-bed, 160,000-square-foot facility, the Leander hospital will be located next to the existing St. David’s Emergency Center and Leander Medical Plaza near the Northline development. Planned services included inpatient and outpatient surgery, critical care capabilities, robotic services, and maternity and newborn care.
A groundbreaking for the $182 million hospital was expected to take place by the end of 2023, with its opening occurring in 2025, according to Community Impact reporting from June 2023. Officials said they will now complete the evaluation of the hospital's plans before breaking ground.
Why it matters
St. David's HealthCare began its plans for a Leander medical complex in 2016, according to a statement provided by the health system. The first two phases were the freestanding emergency department and a medical office building, which opened in early 2018 and late 2021, respectively.
Since then, officials said the Leander area grew at an “unprecedented rate,” which has led them to review the scope of the third phase of development—the hospital, according to the statement.
The St. David’s Leander facility is slated to be the first hospital in the city and increase access to care for residents in the area, including those in Liberty Hill.
Currently, residents in need of hospital-level care must travel into Cedar Park, far Northwest Austin, Georgetown, Round Rock or Burnet, which can take upwards of 20-30 minutes, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
“Being able to have that care entirely in town where it’s just a couple of minutes away, you have that peace of mind that you can get there in a hurry; that’s going to be fantastic,” Leander Mayor Christine DeLisle previously said about the upcoming St. David’s facility.
