Topping off ceremony held for teaching hospital in Northwest El Paso

The construction of a new teaching hospital is underway and its officials hope it will bring more doctors to the area.

It’s being built near the intersection of Resler and Trans Mountain in Northwest El Paso.

Drums were played and the last beam was lifted into place as part of the topping off ceremony. The topping off, also known as topping out, is considered a major milestone in a building’s construction.

Construction workers can now begin work on the internal structure.

The new hospital is a collaboration between the Hospitals at Providence and Texas Tech University.

“This partnership with Texas Tech actually will add 75 new residency training slots so that’s 75 new doctors that actually could be grown in El Paso and we know that if there trained in El Paso they have a higher tendency to stay here,” said Sally Hurt, Providence marketing CEO.

They also expect the hospital to bring 300 new jobs.

It is expected to open in January 2017.