From a merger to a proposed new hospital, it’s been quite the busy year for St. Luke’s University Health Network.

The day before the start of this year, the merger between St. Luke’s University Health Network and Blue Mountain Health System was completed.

The deal brought Gnaden Huetten Hospital in Lehighton and Palmerton Hospital, along with Blue Mountain’s various other facilities, under the St. Luke’s umbrella.

John Nespoli has been appointed President of the St Luke’s Gnaden Huetten/Palmerton campuses in Carbon County.

Proposed hospital

in Franklin

St. Luke’s has also proposed a hospital in Franklin Township.

Last week, the township’s board of supervisors reviewed St. Luke’s Hospital’s preliminary/final land development plans and unanimously agreed to grant St. Luke’s four waivers.

Supervisors tabled conditional plan approval to St. Luke’s land development plan because they didn’t have enough time to review it, according to township secretary Brenda Neeb.

There are 21 items that need to be addressed before the Carbon County Planning Commission could make a recommendation, including erosion plans, state permits and easements.

The board’s review without recommendation will be sent to Franklin Township to be included in discussion of the plans.

St. Luke’s University Health Network in the spring acquired more than 86 acres of land to build another hospital on Harrity Road.

The new hospital will be 50 feet tall and encompass 130,000 square feet on a more than 75-acre lot.

It will begin with 40 bedrooms and eventually have 80. St. Luke’s expects to employ 200 people at the new facility to start. The lot will have 535 parking spots.

It will also include an emergency room and helipad to airlift trauma patients when necessary to its main hospital in Bethlehem. The plans include widening Harrity Road to include a left-hand turning lane, he said. Concerns about increased traffic were brought up by both the commissioners and a resident who lives along Reber Street.