Home / Health / RI Scraps Burrillville Hospital Plan for Cranston
RI Scraps Burrillville Hospital Plan for Cranston
29 May
Summary
- New state hospital planned for Cranston instead of Burrillville.
- Burrillville site costs estimated at $322 million, more than three times original estimates.
- Cranston site offers most cost-effective option at $239 million to $243 million.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee's administration has abandoned plans to build a new state hospital at the Zambarano Campus in Burrillville. This decision stems from escalating costs that made the Burrillville site prohibitively expensive. Initial studies had estimated significantly lower figures for the project.
A recent study indicated building in Burrillville would cost $322 million, excluding demolition. This is more than three times the $108 million estimated in a February 2023 report. Infrastructure needs unique to the Zambarano campus were cited as the cause for the cost increase.
Instead, the state now intends to construct a new facility for residents with long-term disabilities at the Pastore Complex in Cranston. This site emerged as the most cost-effective option, with projected costs ranging from $239 million to $243 million. This move aims to address an urgent need for approximately 91 long-term care beds in the state.
The project in Burrillville had reached 90% design completion before work was halted. State officials are now planning further studies for alternative uses of the existing Zambarano campus, aiming to benefit the local community.
