Construction has begun on the new Vanderbilt Health community hospital in Rutherford County, which has been on the drawing board since 2020, and in litigation since 2023. The $144.3 million facility is located in the Blackman community and construction will is taking place in three phases. Click for More News
Building in Phases
The first phase will include a doctor’s building, a 50-bed hospital, and 500 parking spots. The parcel is listed at 1803 Blackman Road near Veterans Parkway and I-840, across the street from the new Wawa, behind the new Tennessee Oncology building, and near the new Ascension Saint Thomas Westlawn campus. The land purchase was part of Vanderbilt’s earlier plan denied in 2023 before a Chancery Court ruling in January opened the door to establishing another permanent, full‑service hospital in Murfreesboro. Vanderbilt Health purchased the 79 acres of land it will sit on for $8 million in 2021. The first phase must be completed by the end of 2028.
The second phase, according to Rutherford Breaking News, will add 90 to 120 beds, and a parking garage. And the third phase will include a 75 bed children’s hospital and another parking garage. There is currently no reported timeline on the second and third phases.
This new Vanderbilt Health full-service hospital will provide emergency care, surgical capabilities and heart catheterization services, as well as enhanced obstetric, pediatric, and ICU care they are already offering in Rutherford County.
Strengthening Services to the Community
Vanderbilt Health sees the new hospital as strengthening the services it already offers within Rutherford County, including caring for thousands of children and adults in the community. According to a press release, they have provided more than $8 million in charity care to residents of the community, and made more than $40.5 million in capital investment in the community.
“We did not undertake the decision to submit a new application for Vanderbilt Rutherford Hospital lightly. But we have heard from numerous people in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County, including state and local government officials, community and business leaders, fellow health care professionals, and, most importantly, many of our patients, who are vocal supporters of these plans and continue to encourage us to move forward with this proposal,” said C. Wright Pinson, MBA, MD, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Health System Officer for VUMC in the same press release.
Members of the local community have voiced online a need for additional hospital facilities, as well as a desire to see increased Vanderbilt services in the growing area. People have commented online that they are tired of traveling to Nashville for special services at Vanderbilt, and hope to see an increase of these services in Murfreesboro with the new hospital.
“When we deliver this care closer to home, those patients will have easier access to the services they seek from Vanderbilt as their hospital of choice,” said a press release.
Already Vanderbilt serves more than 52,000 patients from Rutherford County, with more than 75% of those patients driving to Nashville to get that care in Davidson County. Vanderbilt’s other facilities in the county include Heart and Vascular at 1370 Gateway Boulevard, Suites 200 and 230; Children’s General Surgery at 2102 West Northfield Boulevard; Behavioral Health at 1272 Garrison Drive; Center for Women’s Health at 1155 Kennedy Drive, Suite 103; and the Clinic at Walgreens at 2401 Old Fort Parkway.
The most recent addition to the Vanderbilt family is Vanderbilt Health Clarksville, opened in February. Besides Murfreesboro, they are developing a new facility in Brentwood.
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