PEORIA - Construction of the Children's Hospital of Illinois begins here next week after a 10 a.m. Thursday (July 12) groundbreaking ceremony.

"Children's Hospital is going to have a home," said hospital executive director Paul Kramer.

"It's a very exciting time," said medical director Dr. Kay Saving. "We're looking forward to getting started."

Children's Hospital, which is part of OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in downtown Peoria, is downstate Illinois' largest pediatric hospital, with neonatal and pediatric intensive care units. Children who were born prematurely or have congenital heart disease, respiratory problems, significant gastrointestinal issues and other life-threatening illnesses are transferred to Children's Hospital from throughout Central Illinois, including from BroMenn Regional Medical Center in Normal and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington.

In 2006, about 1,645 children from McLean County received care at Children's Hospital, Kramer said.

"We provide excellent care," Kramer said. But the challenge has been that Children's Hospital operations are scattered over six buildings, Kramer said.

In addition, the hospital needs more capacity. Kramer estimates the hospital will have about 800 admissions this year but about 50 children will be deferred to children's hospitals in Chicago, Rockford or Iowa City because Children's Hospital of Illinois doesn't have space for them.

Last September, state regulators approved the Milestone Project, an eight-story, 440,000-square-foot building for Saint Francis and Children's Hospital beside the existing hospital. BroMenn and St. Joseph endorsed the project.

Most of the $234 million project will be for Children's Hospital and will consolidate the hospital's services in one building. Included will be a larger neonatal intensive care unit, a larger pediatric intensive care unit, a general pediatric unit, a pediatric surgery unit, a pediatric pharmacy, a larger emergency department with part of it dedicated to children, and a St. Jude Midwest Affiliate. All inpatient rooms will be private rooms with space for family, Saving said.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2010, Kramer said.

"We're delighted to think about our bright future and the opportunity to serve families," he said.