Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center Archives

Too many beds? Scaled-back Alton hospital slammed

No need for another hospital in north county, former Jupiter Medical Center exec John Couris says, as Alton hospital developer cuts proposal to 300 beds.

First of two parts

Seeking to win over neighbors opposed to a full-service hospital off Donald Ross Road in Alton, health-care giant Universal Health Services shaved its original plan for 450 beds to 300 and moved a proposed helipad farther from neighbors.

While opponents living in million-dollar Alton homes south of the hospital won’t publicly comment on the changes as negotiations with UHS are ongoing, questions still surround the need for a third full-service hospital in north county.

Anonymous website attacks Alton hospital

“WHAT THEY’RE PLANNING WILL RUIN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!” Builder disputes claims. Neighbors say it didn’t come from them.

Emergency vehicle sirens blaring 24/7. A 450-bed hospital plus more than 1 million square feet of medical office space, enough to fill six-and-a-half “super centers.” And 26,687 daily car trips coming to “our neighborhood.”

“THIS AFFECTS YOU!” screams the website SaveAlton.com, which is attacking UHS’ plans for a hospital on 32 acres in Alton near Donald Ross Road and Interstate 95. “WHAT THEY’RE PLANNING WILL RUIN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!”