Riverside opens $300M hospital in Smithfield

After years of anticipation, Riverside Smithfield Hospital officially opened its doors to patients Tuesday, giving residents of the Isle of Wight County region access to a 24/7 full-service emergency department.

Located at 19339 Benns Grant Blvd, the 200,000-square-foot hospital has 50 beds, advanced surgical suites, an intensive care unit, diagnostic imaging services and a medical and surgical unit for inpatient care. Riverside described the opening as a “historic milestone” for Isle of Wight and the surrounding communities.

“This day has been years in the making, and we could not be more grateful to the community that cheered us on, watched us build from the ground up and helped us reach the finish line,” Riverside Smithfield Hospital President Jessica Macalino said in a statement. “Many of our team members live, and now work, in this community and it is such an honor to now be able to make a difference for our neighbors.”

Planning, community engagement and regional health assessments for the hospital began in 2021, and the health system broke ground on the project in July 2023, followed by more than two years of construction.

Riverside said the hospital was needed due to Isle of Wight’s expanding population and local demand for nearby, comprehensive medical services. The health system said that residents previously had to travel outside of the community to access several essential services, and that the new Smithfield-based hospital brings those resources closer to home.

“Having Riverside Smithfield Hospital right here in our community is a game changer for emergency response,” said Isle of Wight Volunteer Rescue Squad Chief Brian Carroll in a statement. “Every minute matters when someone is in crisis. The ability to transport patients to a full-service hospital just minutes away will save lives and ensure our teams can provide the fastest, highest-quality care possible.”

The hospital’s opening follows the September 2025 opening of a separate facility on the same hospital campus, the Jamison-Longford Medical Office Building. The 27,000-square-foot facility provides administrative and clinical space for multiple specialty practices.

A Riverside spokesperson confirmed that the hospital and medical office building combined cost $300 million. The Riverside Smithfield medical campus employs roughly 300 team members across multiple specialty services and administrative support.

Headquartered in Newport News, Riverside Health has five acute care hospitals, three specialty hospitals, more than 9,500 staff members and more than 800 clinical providers. Its coverage area spans 8,000 square miles in eastern Virginia.