Gov. Baker Attends Norwood Hospital Groundbreaking Ceremony

NORWOOD, MA - Gov. Charlie Baker and state and local officials celebrated what the governor called a "team effort" at all levels of government to bring about the construction of a new Norwood Hospital at a groundbreaking ceremony at the Washington Street site.

The hospital, which is under the Steward Health Care umbrella, shut down nearly 18 months ago. On June 28, 2020, a torrential rainstorm caused a flood that sent water several feet high gushing into the hospital, necessitating an emergency evacuation of more than 100 patients. The hospital has been the regional health care center for more than a century and the lifeblood of the community.

Pictures of the extent of the flooding can be seen in this news story from WJAR-TV.

A host of dignitaries, including Congressman Stephen Lynch, state Sen. Mike Rush and state Rep. John Rogers, spoke about the coordinated government efforts to allocate funding to jumpstart the construction of the new facility, which is slated to open in 2023.

"This is really about a significant opportunity made possible by so many people," Baker said, noting the "team effort" from those at every level of government. He recalled having a conversation with Lynch the day of the flood and with hospital officials about the extent of the damage.

The crisis was heightened, he noted, because it occurred three months into the pandemic. Since that time, residents have been transported to area hospitals that were already strained due to COVID-19.

"We spent a lot of time paying a lot of attention to some of the insurance issues around that," Baker continued. "And we will continue to do so to be sure you're treated fairly."

Steward Health Care has filed a federal lawsuit over the tens of millions of dollars lost during the closure of the 215-bed facility and what it called intentional delays by its insurers in resolving its claims, according to a story by Boston 25.

A spokesman for Steward said he could not comment on pending litigation.

"But for me," Baker said, "the big statement that's being made today is about this community, the people in this community, the folks that work in this institution and the work that is being done by so many ... to get us here to this point."

He added that the new facility will provide care "for at least 100 years."

"This is a very good day for us," said Lynch, who noted that he worked with state and local officials to ascertain the impact on Norwood and its surrounding towns.

"We are blessed, and we have been blessed for a long time, with the nurses and doctors at Norwood Hospital," Lynch said, noting that many of them live locally. "They are the lifeblood of this organization. They provide that level of care, that level of pride and that human touch that have made it so successful."

"This is a much-anticipated tip-off to what will be an exciting new era of healthcare in Massachusetts," said Harrison Bane, president of Steward Health Care's north region. "We recognize how important Norwood Hospital is to this community and the many people it serves throughout the region."

He noted that construction work has been going on "for months" inside to abate the building, which was contaminated with mold from the flooding, to prepare it for demolition.

The new building will be 400,000 square feet and will provide 130 private rooms for acute care, as well as units for trauma, pediatrics and cardiac health. It will also offer outpatient services for neurological, sleep, spine and diabetes care.

Rogers said he has a deep connection to the hospital, having been born there. His daughters also were born there.

He added the hospital, which historically has provided a high level of care "itself is in need of the same level of care and attention."

"The people of this region over the past 16 months have suffered from malaise into a real anxiety over the fate of their beloved hospital," Rogers continued. "But today's groundbreaking is a healthy shot in the arm. It's good medicine for what ails us, and I'm very grateful."

Rogers thanked the governor and his team and legislators for working in concert with Steward since last July to ensure that Steward would reinvest in a new hospital for Norwood. They also worked together so that local hospitals would honor the credentials of doctors for their more than 400 patients who had been awaiting surgery at Norwood Hospital when the disaster occurred.

He looked forward to "a new and even better Norwood Hospital for the century to come."

"Today the strength and the resiliency of Norwood shines through," said Rush. "Our society is defined by its healthcare, whether it's here in this community, in the Commonwealth, in the United States and across the world. Today Norwood will continue to lead the way with this unbelievable groundbreaking and this plan in place to provide the very best healthcare for this community and surrounding regions."

He added that "this project has had no greater champion" than Rogers.

"In my mind, he has been leading the way trying to get Steward and government officials working together for this day to actually come," Rush said.

Tom Maloney, the chair of the Norwood Board of Selectmen, said that health care services are critical to the town, citing the hospital and the Moderna facility located here. He thanked the local people who have been "the boots on the ground" ever since the flood took place, including the first responders who rescued people during the flood. He also thanked the residents who held rallies outside the hospital to show Steward how much the facility means to the community.

"Today their work has come to a happy conclusion, or at least a happy passage," he said.

He also mentioned the late Selectman David Hajjar, who was instrumental in creating the bylaw for new medical zoning overlay district where the hospital will be constructed.

General Manager Tony Mazzucco recalled how he was at the site during the hospital evacuation and got a "ground's eye view" of the damage. He described how public works and Light Department officials worked feverishly to try to restore the downed power lines and remove trees while police from Norwood and more than 40 other communities came to Norwood's aid.

"We often forget that this was three months into the pandemic when we didn't know what we were doing [regarding COVID-19]," he said, noting that none of the first responders or evacuated patients was injured.

"It's a big day for Norwood and a big day for the region," Baker added after the ceremony. "People talk about team efforts all the time. This really was a team effort. You had folks talking to each other all the time - once a week - at every level of government and with Steward about what needed to happen to make sure that this day would come."

"We're happy to be here today," Mazzucco added. "There's still a road ahead of us, but this is a good step in that direction."