A rendering of Sharp's planned Ocean View Hospital Tower.
A rendering of Sharp’s planned Ocean View Hospital Tower.

Sharp HealthCare announced Monday that it will expand its Chula Vista Medical Center with a $239 million, 7-story tower to keep up with growth in the South County area.

The new 170,000-square-foot Ocean View Tower at will add six operating rooms and 138 private rooms for patients. It will be Sharp’s largest single investment in hospital facilities to date.

“As an organization, Sharp HealthCare is committed to the future of South County by providing the best place for patients to receive care, the best place for physicians to practice medicine and the best place for employees to work in Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center,” said Mike Murphy, president and chief executive officer of Sharp HealthCare.

The new tower is being funded through a combination of philanthropic donations to the Sharp HealthCare Foundation, bonds, cash reserves and the Medi-Cal Hospital Fee Program.

“As Sharp Chula Vista celebrates 40 years of providing high quality health care in 2015, I’m reminded of how deep our roots are in the South Bay,” said Pablo Velez, chief executive officer of Sharp Chula Vista. “It was in 1975 that we first opened our doors and made a promise to take care of the people of the South Bay; 40 years later, that promise is stronger than ever.”

Sharp selected of Hensel Phelps, SmithGroupJJR and AVRP Studios as the team to design and build the new tower.

Groundbreaking for the project is expected in late 2016, with the grand opening anticipated in the fall of 2019.

Chris Jennewein is Editor & Publisher of Times of San Diego.