Hospital changes mark emotional end of an era for Mishawaka neighborhood

by Dustin Grove (grove@wsbt.com)

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Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka

Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka (WSBT photo)

By Beth Boehne

MISHAWAKA — Big changes are ahead for Mishawaka. Tuesday, Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center announced it is closing part of its Mishawaka hospital sooner than expected.

It's also cutting 60 jobs from its campuses, and 30 of those are in Mishawaka.

It is an emotional end of an era for an entire community.

In downtown Mishawaka, change is in the air. Just a few places have stayed the same, like the railroad museum, the Methodist church, and the hospital at Fourth and Spring.

"We've used it a long time,” Mishawaka native Connie Stabler told WSBT News. “I was born there.”

And so were Stabler's three sisters. One lives right across the street from the emergency room. But in just a few weeks, the hospital, as neighbors have known it for decades, will undergo a change of its own.

It's moving to the north side of the city into a $355 million state-of-the-art facility.

And this week, administrators announced they're closing part of the old hospital sooner than expected, moving inpatient services and many outpatient programs to South Bend until the new place is finished.

Neighbors like Connie Stabler hate to see it go.

"Because it’s close, so close for people here,” she said. “The traffic out there is crazy. I just dread going out there anytime.”

“A hospital plays a very important part in anybody's life,” said SJRMC President and CEO Nancy Hellyer. “And so it's very sentimental and this is very tough for the people in that community and we do understand that.”

Hospital executives say they doors won't completely shut. They plan on keeping the ER open downtown Mishawaka even after the new hospital is built.

"We'd like to start with this free-standing ER and see how it goes,” Hellyer said. “We're hoping the community uses it.”

As for the rest of the building …

"I think they should use this one for something important,” Stabler said.

Like a VA hospital, she says, which executives say they're open to, hoping to keep the memory of this long-time hometown hospital alive.

Hellyer says talks are ongoing about a possible VA Center, but the VA says the facility may be too big.

Thursday, Jun 5 at 9:39 AM T Gaskill wrote ...

I should probably add that if it is anything like Monaco Coach, the supervisors will keep friends and family working so they won't need to worry. But hey, don't let a "midget" upset you too much. I believe what comes around goes around eventually. You just have to call it "Skippy" and take care of it down the line in your own way.

Thursday, Jun 5 at 8:54 AM T Gaskill wrote ...

To 10:01 PM righteousbro, nice to know someone else sees whats happening these days. Most people have turned into sheep these days that just follow on command and don't see what is actually going on.

Thursday, Jun 5 at 8:02 AM Anon wrote ...

"We're here for life." Yeah, right!

Thursday, Jun 5 at 7:14 AM HoosierJim500 wrote ...

St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, Care with Compassion, pardon me while I vomit.

Thursday, Jun 5 at 7:12 AM JOYCE wrote ...

What I find amazing is I got sick and I own 1600.00 and they want it now, I told them I could give 100 or more per month and they said not good enough. They told me I needed to get a loan and pay them. Now I know why, they want their money for that new hospital! St. Joe will not work with you!!!!!!!!!!!Well guess what I have a choice on hospitals, good bye St. Joe!!

Thursday, Jun 5 at 1:09 AM SS wrote ...

So sad. Both of my children were born there. It was nice to have a nice little hospital so close. My family will miss it.

Wednesday, Jun 4 at 10:01 PM righteousbro wrote ...

Who was the patriot that said "these are the times that try men' souls"? What tries my soul is the idea of all these fat cats getting fatter by stepping on and greasing the little guys. The same greed brought on 1929. We're headed for another depression that will make '29 look like a dress rehearsal. Good people are being destroyed to keep the good ole boy system going. 1200 USA billionaires and counting, many multi-millionaires and none of them even want to pay their proper taxes. A pox on SJMC

Wednesday, Jun 4 at 8:54 PM Anonymous wrote ...

All that money for the new building, the land, tax abatements, and they couldnt find a place for 60 people over 2 hospitals? Sad.

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