Banner Estrella Medical Center, recently recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the Valley’s top 10 hospitals, kicked off construction of a $151M patient tower.

Construction of the tower provides an economic injection to the West Valley, creating more than 200 jobs while expanding its emergency room, neonatal intensive care unit and operating rooms.

Last year, the hospital cared for nearly 100,000 patients in its emergency room alone. Additionally, the project is expected to generate hundreds of construction-related jobs during the three-year building timeline.

The new 175-bed patient tower is the second on the Banner Estrella campus and completion is expected in July 2015. McCarthy Building Companies is the general contractor and SmithGroupJJR is the architect.

The groundbreaking  included remarks from Kathy Bollinger, president of Banner Health’s Arizona West Region, Deb Krmpotic and CEO of Banner Estrella.

Located on the SEC of the Loop 101 Freeway and Thomas Rd., Banner Estrella Medical Center is a 214-bed full-service hospital offering general surgery, orthopedics, women and infants services, a full cardiac program with open-heart surgery, emergency services, and medical imaging services.

Banner Estrella is part of Banner Health, the leading provider of health care services in the Valley with 11 hospitals. In 2012, Banner Estrella Medical Center was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 10 hospital in Arizona and high performing in Diabetes & Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Geriatrics, Nephrology, Orthopedics, Pulmonology and Urology Services.