The University of Maryland Medical System broke ground recently on a $543 million state-of-the-art teaching hospital at Largo Town Center.
The ceremonial first shovel signified a major step in the lengthy effort to replace the long-struggling Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly. County officials say the new 205-bed hospital — named University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center — will transform health care for residents and revitalize nearby businesses.
County Executive Rushern Baker told the Washington Business Journal last year the hospital would be the catalyst for redevelopment and revitalization of neighboring areas, from Woodmore to Glenarden. The project is already driving construction activity in the area directly around the hospital’s 26-acre campus.
State regulators approved the hospital in 2016 after years of fits and starts. UMMS assumed ownership of Dimensions Healthcare System, the operator of Prince George’s Hospital, in September — a key move in resolving the uncertainty around the project. The hospital had become a bit of a political flashpoint, with state officials expressing displeasure with Dimension’s dependence on public subsidies and concerns about its ability to stay on top of its finances.