This rendering depicts the Houston Methodist West medical campus once all construction is completed. Officials broke ground on Phase 2 at a ceremony held April 6.[/caption]

Dozens of doctors, nurses, public officials and administrators were on hand April 6 as officials from Houston Methodist Hospital System broke ground on Phase 2 of the expansion of the Houston Methodist West medical campus at Greenhouse Road.

The expansion—located immediately west of the existing hospital at the intersection of Greenhouse Road and the I-10 frontage road—includes a 228,000-square-foot, six-story hospital building. The facility will feature 95 additional beds, 22 emergency rooms, an expanded maternity unit and expanded medical imaging services.

A six-story parking garage offering free parking with capacity for more than 800 cars will also be built.

This rendering depicts the Houston Methodist West medical campus once all construction is completed. Officials broke ground on Phase 2 at a ceremony held April 6.[/caption]

The new facility is expected to open in the second quarter of 2018, officials said.

The growing community of Katy and west Houston created a need for expansion at the hospital, said U.S. District Court Judge Ewing Werlein Jr., chairman of Houston Methodist’s board of directors, at the ground breaking event.

“Here in west Houston, the multitude has grown larger than ever,” he said. “The number [of people] in need of healing has grown greater than ever.”

Werlein said patients wanted to be treated at the hospital not only because of the outstanding medical staff and administration, but also the association with faith.

“Faith-based medical care is a hallmark of Houston Methodist,” he said.

Another board member, Vidal G. Ramirez, said there is expected to be  a 14 percent population increase in the Katy area within the next five years.

“The number of people has only grown, which is why we recognized that this area needed an expansion of this hospital,” he said. “This expansion is a huge step forward for residents of Waller, Harris and Fort Bend counties.”