HARVEST, Ala. — Two construction projects with major effects on the growth in the Huntsville area held groundbreaking ceremonies on Thursday: Crestwood Medical Center, with its freestanding emergency room project in Harvest, and BJ's Wholesale Club in Madison.
Both will be firsts of their kind in North Alabama; in the case of BJ's, the first in the state.
The Crestwood ER will be located at the corner of Highway 53 and Burwell Road and will offer the same services as the emergency department at Huntsville's Crestwood Medical Center. Emergency physicians, registered nurses, and other patient care professionals will staff the 11,000 square-foot facility.
Officials expect the new ER to be in full operation in 2024. It will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In their January announcement about the facility, Crestwood officials noted the fast growth of the area, saying they were "committed to bringing more access to healthcare services that the residents need and deserve."
Meanwhile, BJ's announced its plans to enter the Alabama market with its Town Madison store back in February. A wholesale club in the same vein as Costco and Sam's Club, this BJ's will offer bulk products, office equipment, furniture, and fuel to customers with a paid annual membership.
A standard BJ's also includes a full-service bakery and deli with fresh-made foods in addition to items prepared in-store and served refrigerated for customer convenience.
The club is expected to employ about 150 people. Hiring events are expected once the club gets closer to opening; the company's official website does not yet mention open positions.