BayCare placed the final steel beam on Friday at BayCare Hospital Manatee, marking the structural completion of the health system’s first hospital in Manatee County.
The 436,000-square-foot hospital in Palmetto is scheduled to open in 2028 with 154 private patient rooms and the capacity to expand to 207 beds.
It will become BayCare’s 17th hospital, the county’s only not-for-profit hospital and the first hospital north of the Manatee River.
The hospital will provide emergency care, surgery, cardiology, gastroenterology, urology, orthopedics, obstetrics and a neonatal intensive care unit.
BayCare currently operates NICUs at six hospitals across West Central Florida.
More than 300 people attended the topping-out ceremony, including BayCare executives, physicians, employees, community leaders and representatives from the general contractor, Robins & Morton.
“Today’s milestone reflects more than progress on a building,” BayCare President and CEO Stephanie Conners said. “BayCare Hospital Manatee will expand access to critical services for families in this region and support the health of the community for years to come.”
With the structural steel now in place, crews are turning to interior construction, infrastructure and clinical spaces, according to BayCare.
Adjacent to the hospital, BayCare HealthHub (Manatee) is expected to open in late 2026. The 46,000-square-foot outpatient center will offer BayCare Medical Group primary and specialty care, laboratory services and advanced imaging, including MRI, CT, PET CT, mammography, X-ray, DEXA and ultrasound.
The project comes as health systems continue expanding hospitals and outpatient facilities in Florida’s fastest-growing communities to meet rising demand for care closer to where patients live.
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