The Peach Regional Medical Center will hold a "topping off ceremony" at 4 p.m.on Aug. 22 to mark installation of the final piece of structural steel at its new builing site on Highway 247 Connector in Byron.

The new 68,000 square foot structure will house 25 all-private patient rooms, an emergency center, operating suite and an outpatient service area. It will replace the aging facility located at 601 Blue Bird Blvd. in Fort Valley.

Construction began in May of this year and is programmed for completion in the summer of next year. The project is a joint venture with Central Georgia Health System in Macon.

"This is a happy day for all of us who have supported Peach Regional's goal of building a new hospital to provide state-of-the-art health care for the citizens of Peach County and the surrounding area," Thomas Green, PRMC board chairman, is quoted in a Central Georgia Health System press release.

PRMC Executive Officer Nancy Peed, said the ceremony is an exciting time for the local community.

"The placement of this beam symbolizes a commitment to progress and points towards a bright future for our new hospital," Peed noted.

The new facility is located just west of I-75 and some eight miles west of Houston Medical Center in Warner Robins.