Ballad announces new Unicoi Hospital site

Ballad Health officially announced the acquisition of land to build a new Unicoi Hospital during a press conference Wednesday. The site, located in the town of Unicoi off of Rocky Bottom Drive, will be a direct replacement of the previous facility that was destroyed Hurricane Helene in September of 2024. Direct replacement means that the facility will essentially be an exact replica of the old hospital. "Obviously, we've had some bumps on the road along the way as we've searched for the perfect place to build the facility," said Ballad Health Regional President Lisa Carter. "We've been working with FEMA and TEMA the entire time. I'm very, very pleased to announce today that we have made a purchase of the land that we're standing on today to rebuild Unicoi County Hospital." The groundbreaking for the new facility will be on August 19, with construction beginning shortly after. The current timeline for the project is currently 18-24 months according to Carter, putting the completion date around spring or summer of 2028. The 15-acre plot of land that the company purchased is part of a larger 35-acre tract owned by Sue and the late Carl Jones, parents of State Rep. Renea Jones. "I really think after speaking with the family and really having an understanding of how the late Carl Jones revered this land, he would be very happy to have a hospital here," Carter added. The new facility will have two egress points with one at Rocky Bottom Drive and one on Zane Whitson Drive, allowing for a smoother flow for patients and visitors to the hospital. Carter said that it was a point of emphasis from Ballad to have two points. She also said Ballad chose the location of the new facility in Unicoi based off of its proximity to Interstate 26 and its lack of interference with the railroad. While getting the location and numbers correct with FEMA kept the project held up for a bit of time, Carter said Ballad is thrilled to be moving forward with the project and that all the funding is in place. "The funds from TEMA and FEMA should be sufficient to replace the facility," Carter said. Carter stressed that much work and due diligence has gone into making sure the land is sufficient and safe to build on, trying to ease any concerns about rumors that the new property is on a bad floodplain. She said that the company has worked with civil engineers and have done all the necessary prework on the site to be confident in it. "We don't see any issues with flooding," Carter said. "The site will be pushed back from the rivers and streams—back from the interstate a little bit, so it will be in a 500-plus-year floodplain." Carter said there will be 10 inpatient beds, along with outpatient services. She said there will be full imaging services on site complete with MRI and some of the latest technology. The total cost of the new hospital is expected to be in the region of $26 million. Carter also added there are currently no plans for the future of the old hospital site, but that Ballad is no looking to sell the property at this time. Ballad said there was never a chance of the medical organization leaving the community without a hospital. "I've learned as being apart of rural healthcare that hospitals are more than just a place that you receive care and services," Carter said. "It really is an economic hub for some of our small communities. And that's why we've been committed the entire time to ensuring that we were able to rebuild this hospital, because it's important for businesses, it's important for families, and that's important for us to be able to support." "We never wavered from the commitment to rebuild. It wasn't a matter of if, it was always a matter of when."