Roper St. Francis Healthcare's Summerville medical complex reaches construction milestone

Roper St. Francis Healthcare celebrated a major construction milestone on Thursday after the final steel beam was placed atop its new medical complex in the Sawmill community in Summerville.

The event symbolized significant progress in the not-for-profit organization’s efforts to expand healthcare access in Dorchester County.

“We’re thankful for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Summerville by expanding the great quality of services we offer to Dorchester County,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph DeLeon.

Amid the bustling construction site, Roper St. Francis Healthcare leaders, local officials and Trident Construction representatives and workers gathered to celebrate the occasion and highlight the project’s role in supporting the region’s growing population.

Summerville Mayor Russ Touchberry emphasized the transformative impact the Sawmill Centre development will have on local residents. The new medical complex will provide much-needed care closer to home for those who currently travel long distances for medical services, including healthcare professionals who commute for work, he said.

“Thank you to our friends at Roper St. Francis Healthcare for believing in Summerville and investing in Summerville,” he said. “You’re giving people back hours with their families and improving their quality of life.”

The new medical complex will include a two-story, 40,000-square-foot ambulatory building featuring a free-standing emergency department, an imaging suite, a lab, a surgery center and women’s imaging services. A separate two-story, 20,000-square-foot medical office building is also under construction to expand healthcare offerings in the area.

The Sawmill project is part of Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s broader vision to expand services across the Lowcountry, aligning with its 2030 Strategic Plan. Bringing care closer to where patients live is part of that plan, said Vice President of Construction, Real Estate and Support Services Charles Fletcher.

“Our mission is to heal all people with compassion, faith and excellence,” he said. “This new complex will help us accomplish that as we optimize our footprint and expand services to the Summerville community.”

View the progress of the Sawmill medical complex