UNC Health plans a new community hospital in Wilmington, NC at S. 17th St. & Shipyard Blvd. The facility will offer cardiology, oncology, neurosurgery & OB services, pending CON approval. 2030 is the target opening.
UNC Health has announced plans to construct a new community hospital in New Hanover County, North Carolina, filing for approval under the state’s Certificate of Need regulatory framework. The facility would be situated on a 62-acre site at the intersection of South 17th Street and Shipyard Boulevard in Wilmington.
North Carolina’s CON process requires health systems to demonstrate that proposed facilities align with documented community needs before construction can proceed. UNC Health is targeting a 2030 opening date, contingent on securing that approval.
Planned services at the facility include emergency care, cardiology, oncology, neurosurgery, obstetrics, and gynecology. New Hanover County has been among the faster-growing regions in North Carolina, and Wilmington has increasingly drawn attention from regional health systems looking to expand their coastal footprint.
Ernie Bovio, who joined UNC Health as Regional President for the Southeast Coastal market in April 2026, will oversee operations in the area. His existing responsibilities include Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, NC. UNC Health CEO Dr. Cristy Page, a Wilmington native, has publicly cited underserved neighborhoods and limited local specialty access as factors driving the proposal.
Wilmington Health, an independent physician-owned practice group that has operated in southeastern North Carolina for over 50 years, has indicated support for the project. Its providers are expected to join the new facility’s medical staff. UNC Health has also maintained ties to the region through the UNC School of Medicine’s Wilmington campus.
UNC Health operates as a not-for-profit, state-owned academic health system with 20 hospitals and a statewide network of clinics. The announcement was reported by UNC Health in May 2026.
The proposed hospital is planned for a 62-acre site at South 17th Street and Shipyard Boulevard in New Hanover County, with an anticipated opening in 2030, pending CON approval.