DOVER — Perhaps Mayor Robin Christiansen put it best, saying “Any day dirt moves in Dover is a good day.”

The City of Dover’s top elected official was referring to Thursday’s groundbreaking for the Center at Eden Hill, which will provide short-term rehabilitation after patients leave a hospital.

When completed in December 2017, the three-story, 65,000-square-foot medical facility will include 80 beds for patients needing sub-acute care.

Over 120 employees will staff the facility, including nursing professionals, physical, occupational and speech therapists, certified nursing assistants, administrative, support and food service staff.

It’s been more than five years since Eden Hill Medical Center’s President Dr. Thomas Barnett and Vice Present/COO Sean Mace hatched the rehabilitation facility idea, along with consultant Steve Dobias. The trio saw a need for more post-hospital treatment space in the area, which would open more beds for initial treatment cases and speed treatment times.

“We truly feel this facility is long overdue and truly needed,” said Mr. Mace, president of the Center at Eden Hill.

“We really think it will help delivery of treatment and increase available hospital beds in an efficient time frame.”

The Center will provide care for and treat, among other cases, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, total knee, hip, or shoulder arthroplasty, recovery from stroke and heart attack, complex wounds, pneumonia, cellulitis, recovery from amputation, paraplegia, Multiple scelerosis, Parkinson’s disease, geriatric decline, and Alzheimer’s dementia.

Constructing the $19 million facility drew opposition from Genesis Healthcare, which maintained that the area already had enough available acute care. Genesis took its appeal all the way to the Supreme Court to no avail, which delayed Eden Hill’s original timeline.

“We hit a few bumps in the road along the way, but we are here going strong,” Mr. Mace said. “We have some loyal investors who stuck with us in hard times.

“Now we’re ready to get started with”

Addressing an assembled audience of approximately 50, Mayor Christiansen gleefully said the project would “show the city of Dover, Kent County, and State of Delaware that Dover is growing and full of economic opportunities for anyone who wants to come here.”