1. New inflation data shows that the consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.3% in June, bringing the annual inflation rate to 2.7%. Inflation has been slowly rising due to tariff concerns. Apparel and home furnishing prices have increased, while vehicle prices are down.
  2. Florida passed legislation phasing out the state’s sales tax on commercial leasing transactions. The move has been widely viewed as a win for landlords and tenants doing business in Florida. The tax will be eliminated on October 1, 2025.
  3. JLL released its mid-year Construction Perspectives Report. Key takeaways: 1) federal policy changes have disrupted development patterns; 2) tariffs continue to have an impact on the cost of construction materials; 3) immigration policy is having a negative impact on the construction workforce; and 4) despite policy changes, health care construction spending is up approximately 2.5%.
  4. Virtua Health and ChristianaCare have signed a letter of intent to explore the creation of a regional health system that would provide care in ten counties in New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland, with more than 600 sites of care.
  5. Population growth is driving development activity in the southern part of the U.S. New hospital construction projects have been announced in four of the 15 fastest growing cities, including Celina, Texas (#4 on the list); Foley, Alabama (#7 on the list); Garner, North Carolina (#10 on the list); and Leland, North Carolina (#14 on the list).
  6. Duke Health and UNC Health have selected a 230-acre site in Apex, North Carolina, for their new children’s hospital project named North Carolina Children’s. The project will include a 500-bed hospital, an outpatient facility, a behavioral health care facility and space for research. Groundbreaking is expected in 2027, with construction anticipated to take approximately six years.
  7. Ascension has announced new details about its 96-acre campus in Clarksville, Tennessee. Ascension is planning a full-service hospital, along with facilities for Tennessee Oncology and Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance. The project is subject to certificate of need approval.
  8. HealthPartners (MN) has broken ground on a new 400K-sf hospital and outpatient facility in Stillwater, Minnesota. The project will include a birthing center, an orthopedics clinic, a cardiology lab, cancer care and emergency care.
  9. Huntsville Hospital (AL) announced plans to build two new free-standing emergency departments in Hampton Cove and North Huntsville, subject to certificate of need approval.
  10. Redeveloping old hospitals and hospital campuses can be challenging. Housing is becoming the most common approach to adaptive reuse. Redevelopment plans for a hospital campus in Bloomington, Indiana, and one in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, both include a housing component.

For questions or additional information, please contact:

Special thanks to Summer Associate Gabriel Vaughn for his assistance in the preparation of this article.

Hall Render blog posts and articles are intended for informational purposes only. For ethical reasons, Hall Render attorneys cannot give legal advice outside of an attorney-client relationship.

The post Weekly Hospital Real Estate Briefing: Inflation at 2.7% Year-to-Date | Florida Eliminates Sales Tax on Commercial Leases | JLL Releases Construction Report appeared first on Law Firm | Health Care Law Firm in the USA | Hall Render.