Photos video: Hundreds attend groundbreaking for Roper Hospital campus

More than 300 community members, donors, elected officials, teammates and providers gathered Wednesday, June 11, for the groundbreaking of the future Roper Hospital campus, a transformative $1.2 billion project in North Charleston expected to be completed in 2029.

The successful event marked a historic milestone in Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s nearly 170-year legacy of service and in the organization’s deep commitment to the Charleston community. Attendees toured life-sized mock hospital rooms, explored virtual reality models of the new campus and took home branded keepsakes, including a miniature golden shovel commemorating the day.

Board of Directors Chairman Edward McKelvey welcomed the crowd, calling the moment “a celebration of vision and progress.”

Teammate Jeremy Bigelow, RN, BSN, a Mobile Resource Pool nurse currently assigned to Roper Hospital, sang a resounding version of the national anthem, prompting three rounds of applause from the audience.

After President and CEO Joseph DeLeon emphasized that the new hospital “is about meeting people where they are,” noting it will deliver more than 1 million patient days in its first 10 years and serve as a beacon of care, innovation and accessibility. 

Located at 2401 Mall Drive near interstates 26 and 526, the hospital is a cornerstone of the Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s 2030 Strategic Plan, advancing initiatives to optimize our footprint in the Lowcountry and address future clinical needs. Designed by E4H Environments for Health Architecture and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), and built by Barton Malow Builders and Edifice Construction, the facility will feature state-of-the-art technology and a patient-centered environment.

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette praised Roper St. Francis Healthcare for delivering “not just care for the body, but for the spirit” and pledged continued state support for growing South Carolina’s healthcare workforce.

Regional President for Roper Hospital recognized facility board members, longtime teammates and clinical leaders who were instrumental in the hospital’s design, including Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Quality and Continuing Care Dr. Stan Wilson and Roper Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Sue Bennett. 

“We’re striving to create not just a building but a hub for health and wellness within the community,” Powell said. “Our community has helped make sure we’re capturing that spirit of the Lowcountry.” 

Roper St. Francis Foundation President Anthony Burchard also acknowledged the community’s generous contributions through the Imagine campaign, a $100 million fundraising effort that will continue to support the construction and vision of the campus. 

The ceremony concluded with a symbolic turning of dirt and an invitation for guests to stay for interactive experiences and tours of the future of Lowcountry healthcare — a future built on the Roper St. Francis Healthcare mission of healing all people with compassion, faith and excellence.

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Several elected officials who could not attend the ceremony provided video statements that were played for the audience. Here are some highlights:

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham: 

• “This is a very big deal. This new Roper Hospital facility will dramatically improve healthcare in the Charleston area and the Lowcountry as a whole. … God bless you and to all those who work in this hospital.”

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, who noted that his mother had worked for the healthcare system for 50 years: 

• “I’m excited about the groundbreaking opportunity to bring healing and to restore families and lives through the Roper St. Francis Healthcare system. … God bless your service to our community.”

North Charleston Mayor Reggie Burgess, who was celebrating his birthday on the day of the groundbreaking and was traveling. He called Roper St. Francis Healthcare a longtime friend and valued economic partner: 

• “For generations, you’ve been a trusted pillar in our region. … Roper St Francis Healthcare holds a very special place in my heart. My wife, my son and my daughter were all born there. This healthcare system has been part of some of the most meaningful moments in my life, and I know many families across our community feel the same deep connection. The new Roper Hospital campus is more than a building; it’s a symbol of progress, hope and commitment to community.”

The Rev. Byron L. Benton, member of the Roper Hospital Board of Directors and senior pastor of Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, delivered the invocation:

• “We thank you for this gathering of hearts and hands, for the vision that brings healing to life and for the community that supports this work. … Most holy God, bless this place. Bless the hands that will build it. Bless the hands that will serve within it. And bless all those who will come through these halls.”

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