PORTLAND (AP) – Maine Medical Center said Monday it has won state approval for a $63 million expansion and renovation project that includes construction of a new building for the hospital’s 2,300 annual births.

The Maine Department of Human Services granted a certificate of need for the project at Maine Medical’s Bramhall campus, which is designed in part to replace some of the hospital’s older facilities.

“This is a critical project for the people in our service area,” said Vincent Conti, president and chief executive officer. “The demand for our services continues to grow, and shows no signs of lessening. Admissions to MMC are up, as are operating room usage and emergency department visits. We need to plan now to add, and as importantly, reconfigure capacity, so that we are able to meet the current and future needs of our state.”

The new Women’s and Infants building, which replaces outdated space, will include 15 ante-partum rooms for high-risk mothers who need to spend long periods of time at the hospital prior to delivery.

Other elements of the redevelopment plan include:

• An expansion and renovation of the emergency department;

• Development of intermediate care services, which provide a higher level of care than regular nursing units but less than that available in special care units.

• Additional medical and surgical beds;

• A new 600-space parking garage;

• A new utility plant;

• And a helipad to provide quick access for a growing number of trauma, cardiac and other patients flown to the hospital.

Conti said Maine Medical is seeking the necessary approvals from the city of Portland and is holding community meetings about the project.

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