St. Luke’s University Health Network plans to develop a public green space at the site of the former Palmerton Hospital following demolition of the hospital this fall.

St. Luke’s said it will hold a ceremony to remember the former hospital site and the many lives it touched over the years. A date will be announced.

St. Luke’s closed the Lafayette Avenue campus after it acquired Blue Mountain Health System and began construction of the new St. Luke’s Carbon Campus in Franklin Township.

Demolition had originally been slated for 2020, but the pandemic and other delays pushed back the timeline.

Four years ago, and again two years ago, St. Luke’s officials told Palmerton Chamber members of their plans to demolish the existing building to make room for a senior housing community or a health care facility of some sort.

In January 2020, former Palmerton Hospital President Peter Kern said the building, which was built in 1967, “served its purpose well” and was in favor of the demolition.

St. Luke’s officials said at the time that to renovations for the building, if it was upgraded, would be around $30 million or more.

In recent years, St. Luke’s has invested more than $200 million in Carbon County health care, replacing the outdated Palmerton facility with the new Carbon County Campus as well as various other new facilities and expanded offerings in Palmerton. Virtually every major specialty is available at the St. Luke’s Health Center on Delaware Avenue. Services include an integrated model of obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics.