AdventHealth plans $220M expansion of Daytona Beach hospital

AdventHealth Daytona Beach is primed for a major expansion.

AdventHealth Daytona Beach is planning a $220 million expansion of the hospital. It's slated to be completed in 2026.

The health system announced plans this week for a $220-million expansion project for the hospital. AdventHealth Daytona Beach says the project will add 104 beds to the hospital, boosting capacity from 362 beds to 466 beds.

Two of the hospital’s existing towers will be standing a little taller when the project is done. One tower will rise four stories higher, while another tower is going to get a one-story expansion in the project. The hospital is planning to add four new surgical suites as well.

The project will add more than 240,000 square feet to the hospital. When completed, the Daytona Beach hospital will occupy just under 1 million square feet.

AdventHealth says the project should be completed by the fall of 2026.

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Officials say the project includes plans for an expanded cardiovascular intensive care unit and a dedicated neuro-ICU unit. Other elements of the project include a new laboratory department, a new and bigger pharmacy, and expanded imaging services.

The expansive project follows the recent completion of a new ambulatory surgical center and medical office building. The $45.7 million facility opened earlier this month.

Audrey Gregory, CEO of AdventHealth’s East Florida Division, touted the opening of the medical building and the plans for the expansion of the hospital. She said the expansion of the hospital “will increase the community’s access to world-class, patient-centered care.”

“Now, as we embark on this new expansion project, patients will soon have even greater access to high-quality care close to home,” Gregory said in a statement.

AdventHealth officials note that the expansion of the hospital is being designed to accommodate additional growth. The system said the project will allow for more inpatient beds and surgical suites in the future.

David Weis, president and CEO of AdventHealth Daytona Beach and the East Volusia Market, highlighted the potential for additional expansion of the hospital. He also noted a “high volume of patients” seeking care.

“Meticulously crafted, this multi-phased plan is extensive and answers a great need as it is designed to accommodate the on-going growth within East Volusia County,” Weis said in a statement.

Planning for growth seems like a safe bet. Daytona Beach's population rose to about 78,000 in 2022, an increase of 8.9% since 2020, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Volusia County, home to Daytona Beach, is also seeing substantial growth, as the county population topped 590,000 in 2023, a 6.7% increase since 2020.

As hospitals expand, many systems are designing their facilities not just to meet immediate needs, but to accommodate future growth.

As Mayo Clinic develops its plans for a $5 billion transformation of its main campus, the health system is designing buildings that can be expanded vertically. The Mayo Clinic project includes two 9-story buildings, but those buildings will also be able to grow an additional 9 stories higher.

AdventHealth opened the Daytona Beach hospital in 2009, replacing a 42-year-old facility. The system built the hospital for $270 million 15 years ago, but illustrating rising prices, the expansion price tag looks to be $50 million less than the cost of the original construction.

AdventHealth, a faith-based, nonprofit system, is based in Altamonte Springs, Florida, and operates 52 hospitals in nine states.

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