SAN ANTONIO – University Health will soon be building a new hospital after members of the Bexar County Hospital District Board of Managers on Tuesday approved a $10.4 million purchase of land on the South Side.
The purchase consists of 68 acres of land located at the intersection of South Zarzamora and Jaguar Parkway that is adjacent to Texas A&M University-San Antonio, University Health officials said.
Officials said the land purchase is a response to the population growth Bexar County is expected to see in the next 10 years.
“We’ve worked to ensure that we are aligning our vision and mission for the South Side in order to empower healthy communities where we live, work, pray, play, serve, and have access to all facets that our constituents need,” Bexar County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rebecca Clay-Flores said in a statement. “The demand for a hospital in this area is long overdue, and we’ll continue to bring much needed resources to Precinct 1.”
In addition to population growth, officials said the COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on capacity at University Hospital and highlighted the need for expansion.
“Strategically placed suburban acute care hospitals will enable many of these patients to receive routine types of hospital services, such as low-risk births and hip replacements, without having to travel to the medical center,” University Health officials said.
The land will be apart of the VIDA community, a master-planned community expected to house over 4,000 residents and include restaurants, shops, parks and more.
University Health officials said they have not set a timeline yet for when design and construction services of the facility will begin.