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 building in the fall.

John Nespoli, president of St. Luke’s Carbon and Lehighton campuses, provided an estimated time frame Monday for the eventual leveling of the one-time borough landmark. However, the health network is keeping options open for that property.

“We would like to begin the process later this fall, and our best guess is it will take about 60 to 90 days,” Nespoli said.

As for the green space?

“I think we would like to make it very attractive, so I’m thinking (maybe) rose gardens, maybe a pagoda or two, some benches and places to sit,” he said. “That’s a nice neighborhood; something that’s attractive and would enhance the neighborhood.”

Perhaps even something a little more?

“That’s why we kind of, long-term, are thinking that it wouldn’t surprise us the way Palmerton is growing and the towns surrounding Palmerton, if we would not build another medical facility at the former Palmerton Hospital site,” he said.

Nespoli added that at a date to be determined, St. Luke’s will hold a ceremony of remembrance at the former hospital site for the many lives touched by the hospital over its years of service.

“A nice community event, (where) past employees and residents who used the old hospital can come and remember the old hospital and talk about the hospital,” he said. “Some celebration of the old Palmerton Hospital several weeks in advance of the start of the demolition.”

St. Luke’s closed the Lafayette Avenue campus after it acquired Blue Mountain Health System and began its 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.

St. Luke’s officials originally told Palmerton Chamber members they planned 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 constructed in 1967, “served its purpose well” and was in favor of the demolition.

St. Luke’s officials at the time said the renovations for the building, if it was upgraded, would have come in 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In recent years, St. Luke’s has invested more than $200 million in Carbon County health care, replacing the outdated Palmerton facility with the new Carbon County Campus as well as various other new facilities and expanded offerings in Palmerton.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.