Altru marks new hospital milestone

A special topping off ceremony was held Wednesday afternoon for the new Altru Hospital project in Grand Forks.

A final steel beam was lifted into place with the signatures of Altru employees…construction team members…and other project partners.

Altru CEO Todd Forkel says it’s exciting to watch the progress being made on the $470 million dollar building on a daily basis. Forkel says bricks and mortar are nice – but the real magic will happen when physicians and nurses move in.

The hospital will feature 226 licensed beds. Although there is room for expansion Forkel says given the ever changing landscape of health care that sounds about right.  “Even during the pandemic we buffered around that 180 to 200 mark.  There was analysis that went into that…we feel with more going into out-patient mixed in with an aging demographic…that 220 plus beds will be enough.”

The hospital is scheduled to open in the fall of 2024.