The Reporter - October 30, 2026
Community invited to sign final structural beam as $85M expansion advances toward 2028 completion
WALTON - Delaware Valley Hospital will mark a major milestone in its $85 million expansion project Friday, Nov. 6, with a public topping out ceremony celebrating the placement of the building’s final structural beam.
The ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. and is open to the community, according to Hillary Zujovic-Gardepe, Director of Community Relations and Executive Operations for UHS Delaware Valley Hospital.
In advance of the ceremony, the final beam has been painted white and placed at ground level in front of the hospital. Hospital staff, providers, patients, construction workers and community members are invited to sign it and write messages before it is raised into place.
“We want them to come, sign their name, write a little sentiment, and just be part of it,” Zujovic-Gardepe said. “This is their hospital.”
The invitation extends beyond Walton to residents throughout Delaware County, she said.
Topping out ceremonies are a longstanding construction tradition marking the completion of a building’s structural framework. They recognize the progress made by construction crews and others involved in the project while looking ahead to the work still to come.
Construction contractor LeChase will place a tree atop the final beam as part of the ceremony. The custom has historical roots in Scandinavia, where builders placed trees atop structures to honor spirits believed to inhabit trees and to bring protection and good fortune to the building and its occupants.
UHS Delaware Valley Hospital CEO Rolland “Boomer” Bojo said the ceremony marks an important point in the project.
“Besides being a historical moment, it’s also the topping off of a building has a lot of prior history, and it’s a big deal,” Bojo said.
The expansion, planned for years, is intended to increase inpatient capacity and provide more space for primary and specialty care. In December 2025, Bojo described the project as “on time and on budget” and said it would improve access to health care for Walton and the surrounding region.
The project has progressed through an initial enabling phase, which included preparatory work inside the existing hospital, site work and an expansion of the parking lot. The current phase involves construction of the new building.
The building’s structural framework is nearing completion. Crews will then continue installing floor decking and pouring the floors. The structure will be enclosed with a temporary covering and heated so construction can continue through the winter.
Bojo said the project remains largely on schedule, with favorable weather helping construction move forward. The hospital now anticipates completing the work and moving into the new building around April 2028.
The new structure will feature a glass entranceway and canopy. The canopy cannot be completed until the existing primary care building is deconstructed, so the hospital expects to move into the new building before that portion of the work is finished.
The expansion will also increase inpatient capacity and provide larger clinical areas to support growth in primary and specialty care. Bojo previously said, “Our intention is to continue to grow both.”
Bojo said the project reflects the hospital’s commitment to providing more health care services locally and reducing the need for residents to travel for care.
“It means a lot to me that we will be able to offer more and more services to the community, that we won’t have to travel, because very often, if people have to travel for health care, they just don’t get the health care,” Bojo said. “And that’s not good for the community. It’s not good for our individuals in the community. And we just, want to be able to serve the community.”
The beam signing is already drawing participation from the community. Isabel Rosalez, of Delta Engineering, stopped to sign the beam. She conducts weekly stormwater pollution prevention inspections at the construction site, documenting conditions and ensuring the project complies with requirements intended to prevent water pollution. She has witnessed the evolution of the new building from the onset of construction, she said.
Local educator Salvatore Salvia also signed the beam, writing, “God Bless this hospital.”
Salvia said the hospital has been part of his life since childhood. His brother was born there and is now 41.
Bojo said seeing the project take shape has been especially meaningful.
“I get goosebumps when I drive in every day, because this is the vision I’ve had for this community since I’ve been back, and to see it materialize is pretty special,” he said.
The Nov. 6 ceremony will include light refreshments and an opportunity for community members to witness the placement of the final beam.
The hospital has used its Facebook page to communicate construction updates, temporary closures and other project information. Residents can follow United Health Services Delaware Valley Hospital on Facebook for notices as work continues.