Trinity Health continues to move closer to an official ground-breaking on a new medical park in southwest Minot.

Architects recently were conducting follow-up visits with Trinity officials and staff to work out the final details before construction begins next spring. Site work is expected to get underway before winter.

The $275 million construction project covers more than a million square feet, with 850,000 square feet enclosed. It calls for a connected six-story hospital and clinic building, along with a three-story facility for behavioral health services.

Plans call for 208 beds throughout the center, including 157 nursing beds, a 20-bed intensive care unit and an emergency/trauma center with 27 treatment bays. The entire site covers 76 acres and will include more than 1,900 parking spaces. The project includes underground parking and a helipad.

TEG Architects of Jeffersonville, Ind., and general contractor Mortenson Construction, Minneapolis, are handling the construction. Mortenson is a leading builder of healthcare, sports and cultural facilities in the United States, with projects that include the new Minnesota Vikings stadium in the Twin Cities, the Alerus Center in Grand Forks and the newly constructed Sanford Medical Center in Fargo.

The medical park construction is expected to take just over 2.5 years, finishing late in 2019.

Trinity will be seeking bonding to pay for the project.