Florida Construction News staff writer
Orlando Health this week unveiled plans to close Seminole County Hospital and build a healthcare hub in downtown Longwood, anchored by a new free-standing emergency department (FSED).
Construction on the new Longwood FSED is expected to begin in early 2023.
The FSED would be built by summer 2024, the same time Orlando Health South Seminole Hospital would close and the new Orlando Health Lake Mary Hospital would open.
Orlando Health and city officials say the current campus redevelopment will include a 15-acre town center with a mix of multi-family residential, retail and office uses.
“We’re very proud of our nearly 40-year history here in Longwood as a hospital caring for so many people in our community and as one of the largest employers in the area,” said Shawn Molsberger, senior vice president of Orlando Health’s northeast region and president of Orlando Health South Seminole Hospital.
“Working closely with the city, we’re making an investment into our community that allows us to continue providing a high level of care while bringing in new amenities that will further enhance the quality of life for Longwood residents.”
Most of the existing campus will be redeveloped, leaving just two existing medical office buildings. Plans are also underway for Orlando Health to build a new dedicated site for clinical mental health services.
An announcement on the new behavioral health project is expected soon.
