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GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Ascension-St. Vincent’s Hospital has a long-range plan to build a two-story, 36,000-square-foot emergency treatment medical facility at 1050 N. Orange Ave.

The first floor, according to a concept plan that has been submitted – an official site plan has not yet been submitted – would be 18,000 square feet for the emergency department. The second floor would be comprised of medical offices.

“It’s to be an emergency department,” said Mike Daniels, city of Green Cove Springs Planning and Zoning Director. “That’s really the intent behind it, is that it would have an emergency department and it wouldn’t have other types of patients; it would be really just for emergency department. In terms of, kind of, a full-service hospital, that’s not the plan.”

The idea, according to Daniels is to mimic some of the similar facilities that are in Jacksonville.

At current, there is not a timetable for the project. Before an official site plan can be submitted, a traffic study has to be completed.

“We did have a neighborhood meeting,” said Daniels. “One of the big concerns that was brought up during that neighborhood meeting was the issue of traffic and would there create any traffic issues on U.S. 17 and also any traffic issues with the surrounding neighborhood. That would be something that they need to submit, and we need to review that. Once they do that then it’ll go back through the planning and zoning commission and the city council.”

The location was a corner that was regarded as being in disrepair. It will be updated and not only newly functional, but more aesthetically pleasing to the city.

Many of the details for the project are still in the works.

"It is too early in the process to have those details,” said Kyle Sieg Senior Public Relations Specialist, Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast. “However, we remain committed to providing our community with new access points in new places, close to where people live and work. We recognize a need for more care options in Clay County and are working hard to accommodate them. We are committed to serving Clay County as the county grows."