Saint Francis Medical Center

Saint Francis Medical Center made a major financial commitment in 2012, announcing plans for a huge expansion that will provide single-bed rooms for the hospital as well as give a major face-lift to its entrance. It will be one of the largest capital investments in Cape Girardeau's history.

__May 13__ -- Plans were announced by Saint Francis Medical Center for the expansion of its Cape Girardeau facility. The $127 million project included a new main entrance and five-story patient tower, a Women's and Children's Pavilion and an Orthopedic and Neurosciences Center. The plan was to add 217,270 square feet to the medical center, bring it to a total of 1.6 million square feet. The renovation of an existing 148,660 square feet was also planned. Once completed in 2016, all of the hospital's 230 patient rooms will be private.

__Nov. 28__ -- Ground was broken for Saint Francis Medical Center's $127 million "Building on Excellence" project.

__NUMBERS:__

$127 million -- cost of development

217,270 -- square feet added

230 -- private patient rooms when work is completed

1.6 million -- total square feet of medical center after addition

35 -- number of physicians involved in planning the development

$75 million -- funds for project raised through bond financing

$52 million -- money for project coming from the hospital's operations funds

About 500 -- jobs created by project

About 100 -- employees who will be added to staff the new facilities

200 -- car spaces in new underground parking garage at the new patient tower