“To build a sustainable WellSpan York Hospital, we must look at every element of the project from a perspective that ensures we minimize the impact on our environment,” said Victoria Diamond, senior vice president of WellSpan’s Central Region Health. “The educational expertise available here in York through our partners at York College provides us with a great opportunity to engage the next generation in a project that aims to meet the health needs of the next generation.”
Students and faculty in the Environmental Horticulture program at the Appell Horticulture Center at York College, part of the Kinsley School of Engineering, Sciences and Technology, will be involved in design both in the classroom and on site as the hospital expansion project continues. This includes internships, service projects, collaboration with the landscape architect, native plant recommendations, and the compilation of signage explaining the plant life to be placed as part of the final layout, in addition to other projects throughout the system.
“Together with the Faculty of Environmental Horticulture, we look forward to a partnership with WellSpan where our students and faculty can work with hospital staff to develop green spaces and indoor vegetable production facilities,” said Dr. Charles MacVean, Dean of the Kinsley School of Engineering, Science and Technology at York College.
“Louis Appell spent more than 30 years creating the beautiful Millbourne Gardens on his property on Powder Mill Road, just a mile from WellSpan York Hospital, and he was also committed to creating a horticulture program at York College. I believe Louis would be excited about this unique partnership, and the Foundation is pleased to provide funding to help realize this vision,” said Michael Hady, President and CEO of the Powder Mill Foundation.
More than 12,000 square meters of green roof will be accessible in the garden area. It absorbs rainwater, reduces the environmental impact of rainwater runoff and acts as a natural insulator, reducing energy consumption for cooling and heating. The expansion project seeks LEED certification as a green building by the US Green Building Council. Once completed, the expanded footprint will leverage high-performance sustainability design that is good for the environment and increases the comfort and well-being of patients, families, visitors and team members. It will also feature improved ventilation systems that promote the best possible air quality and healthier outcomes for patients. In order to achieve the sustainability goals, the building does not use environmentally harmful chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as refrigerants.
In terms of clinical care, the expansion will create a new eight-story surgical and critical care tower, which will significantly strengthen the hospital as a center of excellence for advanced specialty care. In total, it will consist of more than 248,000 square meters of new space and 32,000 square meters of renovated space. When completed, the hospital will have 600 beds, making it one of the largest hospitals in Pennsylvania.
Horticultural design work under the program will begin in the spring 2026 semester. The two organizations are also exploring additional collaboration opportunities with other green spaces and greenhouse vegetable production under development on WellSpan properties.