Construction to Begin on New Cedar Rapids Medical Building

The ground has been broken on a new medical building in Cedar Rapids, which is expected to be the largest and most comprehensive of its type in Linn County.

Mercy Cedar Rapids has long planned an advanced heart and vascular care center in the city, and it will be a reality sometime in 2023, thanks in large part to a family that made a donation.

Construction has begun on 'The Heart Center at Mercy'. The new facility will be located at the corner of 9th St. and 8th Ave. SE in Cedar Rapids, across the street from Mercy Medical Center.

According to a media release from Mercy Medical Center, Mercy treats more heart patients in Linn County than any other hospital and is ranked as a Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital by Fortune and IBM Watson Health.

Funding for 'The Heart Center at Mercy' was made possible by an estate gift from the late Jewel and Jim Plumb. The gift from the estate of the Cedar Rapids couple made what Mercy calls "one of the largest donations in the hospital's 121-year-history." Tim Charles, Mercy President and CEO, said,

This gift is transformational. It enables Mercy to start the next chapter in our heart program by advancing the level of heart care available in our community. I think Jewel and Jim would be happy to see the influence their generosity is having on our community and the benefits it will provide to its citizens.

The new facility is expected to open in the middle of 2023. An artist's rendering of the building is below.