KINGWOOD (Houston Business Journal) – HCA Inc. is beginning a $25.5 million expansion to Kingwood Medical Center that will add 54,000 sf, two new floors and 56 private beds with telemetry capabilities.

In addition, the medical center’s laboratory will be renovated and expanded, and the imaging department waiting area will be expanded.

Upon the expansion’s completion at the end of 2010, about 225 new employees will be added to the 211-bed acute care facility. The new space will also allow the hospital to serve 4,000 more patients per year.

Groundbreaking on the new facility is scheduled for January.