Construction of the new South Strand Hospital in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has reached a major milestone with the placement of the final structural steel beam.
Hospital and community leaders marked the topping-out ceremony by signing the beam before it was lifted into place. An evergreen tree was also placed atop the beam, following a construction tradition symbolizing good luck, growth and safety for the remainder of the project.
HCA Healthcare’s new 182,160-square-foot hospital broke ground in April and is being built off U.S. Highway 17 Bypass and Sheffield Parkway next to South Strand Medical Center.
Brasfield & Gorrie is the contractor for the $220 million project.
The greenfield hospital is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2027 and will expand inpatient and surgical care for the rapidly growing Myrtle Beach area and surrounding communities.
When complete, the hospital will have 59 inpatient beds, four operating rooms and imaging and surgical capabilities. The facility is intended to bring more advanced care closer to residents in southern Horry County and reduce the need for patients to travel farther for treatment.
The South Strand Hospital project is part of Grand Strand Health’s $350 million regional expansion plan, a multi-year investment aimed at increasing health-care capacity across Horry County.
The broader plan also includes freestanding emergency rooms in Murrells Inlet, Conway and Little River, as well as improvements at the health system’s main campus.
The topping-out milestone means the hospital’s structural steel frame is complete, moving the project into the next stages of construction ahead of its planned 2027 opening.
