On Tuesday, Joplin’s largest employer broke ground on a new facility. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.

While not only being the city’s largest employer with about 4,500 staff Freeman Health System also owns more property throughout the city than any other company.

The organization continues to grow by breaking ground on a 10.1 million dollar facility on Tuesday.

Freeman President and CEO Paula Baker was on hand at the groundbreaking, saying, “This is the first part of phase one of a long-term expansion plan, .”The medical office building will house offices for physicians specializing in pain management, dermatology, urology, general surgery, and more in the near future.

There will also be a connector bridge to the Freeman Cornell-Beshore Cancer Institute building for better accessibility. Construction is now underway at the corner of 34th and McIntosh Circle for the three-story, 30,169-square-foot building.