The clearing is done and the utilities are almost there, and Porter hospital officials are reporting very few hiccups in their construction of the new state-of-the-art hospital facility scheduled to open in early fall 2012.

The hospital held an informal “Sign the Beam” ceremony at its current Valparaiso campus on Tuesday morning.

Hospital physicians and staff were invited by Porter Health System CEO Jonathan Nalli to sign their names with marker on one of the main beams that will be set along the entryway of the hospital currently being constructed at the northwest corner of U.S. 6 and Ind. 49 in unincorporated Liberty Twp.

“I can see you all made your mark on history,” Nalli told his associates seconds before inscribing his own signature on the 20-foot long beam provided by Cives Steel of Wolcott, Ind. “We’re leaving our mark for generations and generations to come.”

Nalli spoke excitedly about the work bringing over 200 construction jobs to the area and the fact that the hospital is utilizing all local construction firms.

Dyer Construction performed the site clearing, Cives Steel is conducting the steel fabrication, Chicago Decking Erectors of Merrillville is erecting the steel, Subsurface Contractors of St Louis is pouring the concrete foundations, and Scurto Cement Construction of Gilberts, Ill. will perform other concrete work.

The hospital reported that site utilities are 98 percent complete. Indiana American Water will be the facility’s water utility provider while the Northern Indiana Public Service Company is set up to handle the electric.

Despite concerns recently voiced by neighboring residents and the Chesterton town officials, Nalli told the Chesterton Tribune the hospital is well ready to receive sewer services from the Damon Run Conservancy District.

Nalli said after speaking with the heads of the conservancy district, they have determined their daily maximum capacity bringing the water from Portage is roughly 364,000 gallons. He said the district is only running at about 100,000 gallons per-day and the hospital is expected to use 55,000 gallons per-day, sitting comfortably within the limit.

Porter COO Bill Cummins said the construction work has been “moving along excellently” and mentioned the base of the parking lot has been laid out. He said the paving would then be completed in the week’s leading up to the opening of the replacement facility in September 2012.

Nalli said the new 250,000 square-foot hospital is expected to bring 126 new jobs. He said with the St. Andrews development to the west, the combined 194-acre site will be the largest medical campus in Northwest Indiana.

“That really makes a statement on healthcare in Indiana,” he said.

Before the opening, hospital spokesperson Karen Keltner said tours will be given first to associates and the media and then laypersons later on.

Details of the construction were disbursed by hospital officials:

• Sitework: Clearing/grading is 100 percent complete. Site utilities and onsite water are 98 percent complete. Asphalt paving is 45 percent complete. Concrete curb/gutters are 80 percent.

• Concrete: Structural concrete foundations/retaining walls are 100 percent complete. Slab on grade pours on the first floor are 40 percent complete. Elevated slab pours are underway and 20 percent complete.

• Masonry: Exterior Concrete Masonry Unit is 70 percent complete. (This is the mock up of the brick, stone, glass and other exterior materials used in construction.)

• Metals: Steel Erection is 75 percent complete through the fourth floor.

• Thermal & Moisture Protection: Sprayed Fireproofing is three percent complete.

• Plumbing: Underslab Plumbing is 90 percent complete.

• Electrical: Underground Site Electrical is 90 percent complete. Underslab Electrical is 90 percent complete. Site light poles are energized and bases are 85 percent complete.

Interior plans and amenities for the new facility were also given.

Ground Floor: kitchen, dining area, courtyard, powerhouse.

1st Floor: pharmacy, administration services, gift shop, radiology, an MRI unit, and classroom.

2nd Floor: intermediate care (29 beds), chapel, intensive-care unit.

3rd Floor: progressive care (27 beds), oncology nursing unit (16 beds), orthopedic nursing unit (20 beds)

4th Floor: Labor, Delivery and Recovery Unit, nursery, post-partum nursing unit (19 beds), pediatric nursing unit (9 beds).

5th Floor: medical/ surgical nursing unit.

Keltner told the Tribune that no one has yet made an agreement to purchase Porter’s current 72-year old facility at 814 LaPorte Ave. The purchase dealings would have to be made by the hospital’s parent owner, Community Health Systems based in Tennessee.