The emergency department at 144 State Street will close the same day the new emergency department opens, January 4th, 2022.
By Tony Zeli
It’s the end of an era for Mercy Hospital’s State Street medical facilities. The Sisters of Mercy served the Portland community from the West End location at 144 State Street since the 1940s. But as of January 4th, 2022, the consolidation with Mercy’s Fore River Campus will be complete and all emergency services will be located at 175 Fore River Parkway.
Mercy divided services between two campuses, one on State Street and the other on Fore River Parkway, for more than 13 years. Moving the emergency department is the last step in the campus consolidation project.
Alicia Paquette, RN, Emergency Department Director said the medical staff were excited about the move. “It’s a new space, it’s bigger and there’s more active visibility of your patients. We’re very excited.”
The new emergency department is in a 50,000 square foot addition to Mercy’s main hospital building at Fore River. It features a new covered ambulance entrance designed in consultation with EMS. Designers also kept patients and hospital staff in mind. Although Fore River has the same number of rooms as there were at State Street, 17 rooms for 17 patients, the rooms are larger, more private, and better able to accommodate up-to-date equipment. Also, each private room is separated with hard walls rather than curtains.
Alicia Paquette, RN, ED Director, leads the media on a tour of the new emergency department. 
New patient room
And because the building was constructed during a pandemic, planners made mechanical changes to address ventilation and improve air flow for today and the future.
Decommissioning the State Street Campus
During the months of January and February, Northern Light Mercy Hospital will decommission the State Street building moving equipment and closing everything down. Mercy will continue to be responsible for security on the premises right up until they turn the keys over to the property’s new owners.
Mercy sold the massive building at State Street that formally housed the hospital in February 2020. The developers Redfern Properties and NewHeight Group plan to rehabilitate the building into market rate housing.
After January 4th, 2022, there will be no staff to see patients at 144 State Street.
https://www.redfernproperties.com/home/mercy-redevelopment
Tony Zeli is publisher and editor. Reach him at thewestendnews@gmail.com.
