HASTINGS, Neb. -- A project that started construction two years ago is ready to welcome patients and students in Hastings.

The addition to the Medical Office building at Mary Lanning Healthcare in Hastings started construction back in October 2021.

CEO and President Eric Barber said he’s glad it’s completed.

“We started talking about it 10 years ago, and we actually started the project two years ago, and the exciting thing, kind of the catalyst, was that Bryan College of Health Sciences and Hastings College were interested in renting an entire floor for their nursing school,” Barber said. "So that really sort of jumpstarted the project."

The $25 million and nearly 65,000-square foot addition includes two floors for specialty physicians and doctors. A nursing school facilitated by Bryan College and Hastings College is on the third floor. The colleges have worked together to raise money and have partnered so students can take courses.

Barber said the partnership will have a big impact on the area.

“Workforce development is a problem for everybody as you heard Dr. Loyd talking about and being able to bring nurses to central Nebraska is a challenge that this will help us meet,” Barber said. 

Chief Operating Officer Mark Callahan said the partnership will benefit everyone.

“It’s good for central community." Callahan said. "We’re going to have the school of nursing. There’s going to be some opportunities for the young kids, for education here and it’s going to be top quality education. It’s just great for everybody around central Nebraska.”

Bryan College has already moved to the third floor, while Hastings Family Health Care will start seeing patients in about two weeks. Hastings Orthopedics plans to relocate in December.

“When we did this, it was all about you know what can we do with Hastings College, what can we do to make Hastings better and I think with this collaboration that we’ve done it’s going to get that done,” Callahan said.