Photo by Robert A. DeFrank Liz Schreinter, market director with Trinity Health System, describes the hospital’s mission during Wednesday’s groundbreaking of a neighborhood hospital in St. Clairsville. The facility should be in place in 2025.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The first shovelfuls of dirt were thrown Wednesday morning – an initial step toward bringing a Trinity neighborhood hospital to the city.

Major work is expected to begin in the area along U.S. 40 just east of Plaza West in September, and the two-story building with 10 emergency room beds, six in-patients beds, radiology and laboratory suites should be in place by 2025 after about 18 months of construction.

Dwayne Richardson, president and CEO of Twin City Medical Center, said officials have heard considerable excitement from the public.

“We are excited to be here in St. Clairsville. We are excited to offer our services not only to the communities that we serve, but we’re excited to expand our ministry as well,” he said. “We have been waiting 2.5 years to do this as a vision, and we’re finally changing that vision into a reality.”

He said with the closing of local hospitals in the past several years, the facility will “fill the gap” on every health care need.

“Being a small micro-hospital here in St. Clairsville — a neighborhood hospital we have our other expanded services in Steubenville. We have services in Dennison and Cadiz. We’re looking to expand our ministry and serve the needs of this community,” he said. “This new hospital will be a place of healing. This new hospital will be a place of compassion. This new hospital will be a place of innovation. This new hospital will be a place of respect, service and quality.”

Liz Schreinter, market director, said the health care system follows the example of Jesus Christ, who healed the sick in body, mind and spirit.

“We are called to this holy work,” she said.

Matt Grimshaw, president and CEO of Trinity Health System, said this has been a long time coming.

He said the hospital would give patients a wide range of options and recalled opening primary care offices in the nearby medical plaza to meet the needs of the community.

“This is not the culmination, this is just the beginning, because we believe this community is poised to thrive,” he said.

Grimshaw said all the work is expected to be awarded to local contractors. Local donations will also be vital to building the hospital. The Trinity Foundation will be supporting the project and raising money to outfit the hospital.

Jerry Simpson, chairman of the foundation, said they are proud to continue Trinity Health System’s tradition of acting as a pillar of the community.

“It is a privilege to make such an investment into your community and to provide health care for your loved ones and your family members. Belmont County, St. Clairsville, welcome to the Trinity Health System family.”

Doug Schaefer, chairman of the Trinity Health System board, further described the services to be offered. He said the facility will feature state-of-the-art equipment and that Trinity officials are excited to become a bigger part of the community.

Catherine Poludniak, director of the Trinity Foundation, said the foundation has pledged $12 million toward the hospital’s construction.

It will seek to raise $1.5 million for state-of-the-art equipment. There will be naming-right opportunities for sections of the hospital for donors, and a brick patio will have named bricks for sale.

Thanks went to Belmont Savings Bank as the first donor on the project. Belmont Savings CEO Todd Cover said the bank was happy to help.

“It’s our pleasure. It’s two like-minded, community-minded organizations, Trinity Health System and Belmont Savings Bank, so it was really a no-brainer for us to be a part of this project, to bring local health care to the St. Clairsville community. We’re excited and thrilled to be a small part of that, and we hope more people will step up to help get this project funded.”

Thanks also went to the city of St. Clairsville for work to replace utility lines extending water service to the plaza area for the hospital and in anticipation of further economic growth on the 17.5 acres of commercial ground.

Afterward, St. Clairsville Safety and Service Director Jeremy Greenwood said the work would begin a few weeks, as soon as Border Patrol LLC finishes its current project of running a new permanent waterline beneath Interstate 70. A 10-inch pipe will supply the plaza, replacing the current 8-inch line. Work should be completed in two months. Greenwood said the city can also expect to benefit from taxes by housing the new business.

Grimshaw also thanked U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, for helping to secure direct federal funding for equipment. A representative from Johnson’s office read a proclamation. Ohio Sen. Frank Hoagland, R-Mingo Junction, was also present along with other city and county leaders.