U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced Monday a $74 million loan to build a replacement for McKenzie Memorial Hospital in Sandusky, improving access to quality healthcare for rural residents.
The current hospital was built in 1967 with additions in 1973, 1980, and 1998. The replacement facility will increase square footage from 48,000 to 68,000, allowing services currently located in separate buildings to be consolidated into a single facility. The funding is available through the Rural Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program.
The new hospital project has been years in the making, involving significant planning, community engagement, and broad support from donors, staff, volunteers, and the wider community. CEO Steve Barnett shared that the health system anticipates breaking ground for the project in the third quarter of 2025, with construction to be completed by the end of 2026. It had originally been hoped for construction to begin in spring of 2024.
The construction plan includes the new hospital, along with a wide entrance on M-46, a second entrance on Gates Road, and spacious parking. There is also additional acreage for expansion and new buildings that may be needed in the years ahead.
Additional information, including groundbreaking details and ways to support the project, will be shared in the coming months. To learn more about the new hospital project, visit www.McKenzieHealth.org/Build.
