LA CROSSE, Wis. — A Wisconsin hospital system is growing in the La Crosse area.

On the existing campus of the Mayo Clinic Health System, a new building is in the works. Cranes and construction equipment are buzzing as a deadline of fall 2024 approaches.

Construction began this past April on the new facility that will hold 70 beds and feature a new surgical floor, ICU, family birth center, and much more.

“This will certainly give the best access to care in the country right here,” Mayo Clinic Health System Chair of Space and Capital Committee Annette Faller said.

Faller said the state-of-the-art technology that the hospital system is adding will play a big role in this expansion.

(Spectrum News 1/Megan Marshall)

“We are working on a virtual RN program, so that will allow us to monitor patients a little more carefully with a nursing staff,” Faller said.

The project has been in the works for many years. Faller said this type of work will mean a lot to the community that surrounds the hospital and beyond.

“This kind of project I think is part of the goal of mine to really just have a really holistic approach to taking care of people not only when they are ill but also when they are healthy,” Faller said.

And there’s more than just new equipment and spaces going into the expansion. Going green is one of the many things Faller said she’s looking forward to.

“This will be powered by geothermal power. We are pretty excited about that. It’s a lot of new technology for such a large building with so many power needs,” Faller said. 

The project is expected to be done in fall 2024.