Banner Ironwood plans expansion in Queen Creek

Banner Ironwood Medical Center will be expanding in Queen Creek, most significantly adding emergency cardiac services.

Banner Ironwood CEO Brian Kellar announced the expansion at a recent Queen Creek Town Council meeting.

Kellar said he wanted to introduce the project to the council before it made its way through planning and zoning.

“I don’t have architectural renderings or anything like that, but I wanted to share the news with the council and the public, “ Kellar told the council at its July 16 meeting. “I wanted to share the news with you before you saw it in the permitting process.”

Kellar is also the CEO of Banner Goldfield Medical Center, Banner Baywood Medical Center and Banner Heart Hospital.

The expansion will add approximately 30,000 more square feet to the north side of the hospital, Kellar said.

The project will increase the emergency department by 10,000 square feet, adding 34 beds and bringing the total number of beds to 49. The new space will also increase the emergency department’s waiting room by another 1,000 square feet. The growth will require the hospital to add 80 parking spaces to the emergency department visitor and patient parking lot.

“What I’m probably the most excited about is a cardiac catheterization lab,” Kellar said. “This will introduce emergency and routine cardiac services to be provided in our community. You’ll no longer have to be transported or transport yourself outside of our community for routine and emergency cardiac services.”

The addition will create shell space for a second lab, an additional, multiple operation-room suite, and shelling for a second medical imaging technology suite as needed, Kellar said.

“This is going to require hiring dozens of new and additional caregivers, support service and physician jobs for our Queen Creek location,” he added.

Work on the expansion will begin in around six months starting with architects, followed by permitting with the town. Kellar said the addition will probably be completed in early 2027.

Queen Creek Mayor Julia Wheatley welcomed the news of Banner Ironwood’s expected growth.

“The theme is you’re growing,” Wheatley said. “That’s a likely story here in Queen Creek and it’s just exceptional to be able to provide those additional services to our community, as well as the employment opportunities right here in Queen Creek.”

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