for five Eastern Shore counties. “The hospital decided they were going to go through this whole rebuild over a decade ago and were looking in the five-county area,” Mayor Cook recounts. “They considered going to Northern Talbot County closer to Route 404, which is a big turn to head towards Delaware where traffic bifurcates when you’re coming across the bridge.” Other counties actively courted the facility, recognizing its role as an economic driver. The town and county’s persistence paid off. “The hospital never reached their CON level. It just kind of stalled probably back in about 2013,” Mayor Cook acknowledges. “But the town and county never wavered from their commitment to keeping that hospital here and worked and worked and worked, and here we are today.” Governor Wes Moore attended the October 2024 groundbreaking for the 325,000-square-foot, sixlevel facility featuring 122 beds, seven operating rooms, and a helipad. Mueller notes the project recently received a Talbot County Impact Award, “showing how important the hospital is to the region.” The new location at 10000 Longwoods Road offers improved access for emergency transport while maintaining proximity to downtown. “The key is not that we’re getting a hospital, it’s that we’re retaining our hospital and improving it,” Mayor Cook emphasizes.“We’re keeping that service for our residents.” The current 13-acre downtown site will require careful planning once operations transfer in 2028. HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE Easton’s residential development indicates shifting demographics and evolving community needs.After years of stagnation, the market began recovering around 2020 with projects addressing diverse housing demands across income levels. “There’s 200 homes in one development, a Four Seasons age-restricted 55 and over that’s another A better state of care. UM SHORE REGIONAL HEALTH The new regional medical center on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. A comprehensive solution – transforming rural health care for the future FOLLOW OUR PROGRESS: umshoreregional.org/rmc 10000 Longwoods Road I Easton, MD 21601 8 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx