Riverside breaks ground on new rehabilitation hospital in York County

Riverside Health System, in partnership with Select Medical, broke ground Tuesday on the new $25 million Riverside Rehabilitation Hospital in York County.

Located on Josephs Drive in York County off Route 17, the 50-bed, 52,000-square-foot hospital is expected to open in summer 2019.The hospital is relocating from Newport News.

“By moving here to York County we’re going to be more centrally located for patients and families in York County, Newport News, Hampton, Gloucester, Smithfield, Isle of Wight and Williamsburg/James City County,” Bill Downey, President and CEO, Riverside Health System, said in a statement.  “With this facility we will have a major facility – nursing home or hospital – in every major city and county of the Virginia Peninsula, Middle Peninsula, Eastern Shore and Northern Neck.”

The hospital, building on its legacy from its current Newport News location, will remain the only freestanding rehabilitation hospital in the entire Hampton Roads region, which it has served since1986.

More than 200 Riverside team members will be employed on the new campus, serving an expected 800 patients or more per year.

The addition of the Riverside Rehabilitation Hospital marks the fourth health system facility to open in York County. Riverside currently operates three primary care practices in York County, including MD Express Yorktown, Patriot Primary Care and the recently opened Kiln Creek Primary Care, as well as Home Health & Hospice services.

“What we really celebrate today is what this facility will mean to the future of York County and our surrounding neighbors,” Jeffrey Wassmer of the York County Board of Supervisors said in a statement. “It brings a facility that will bring hope back into people’s lives. It brings a facility where challenges will be overcome.”

The Riverside Rehabilitation Hospital specializes in working with patients who have suffered from a brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, neurological disorder, amputation, orthopedic condition and cancer.

Brasfield & Gorrie will serve as the general contractor of the project, with additional support from companies like York County-based C.A. Barrs Contractor Inc. who is performing site work on the property.