By Marie Mulvenna

St. Joseph’s Infirmary, an Atlanta institution since 1880, will be moving to a suburban location and plans to open its new facility adjacent to Northside Hospital in early 1977. The infirmary, the first one established in the city, will be part of a medical complex which will include the Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital as well as Northside, and will be located on Peachtree-Dunwoody Road, just south of I-285.

One year ago, hospital officials stated they were in the process of investigating the possibility of land in the northeast Atlanta area, but had made no final decision on the 20-acre site, one of 14 being considered as possible relocation areas for the infirmary.

The concept of relocation of the infirmary developed almost six years ago in view of the age of the hospital, the need for expansion and the problems of trying to renovate the present facilities on Ivy Street in downtown Atlanta.

Plans and a zoning application submitted to the Fulton County Commission last November called for a nursing tower of eight floors with a smaller base structure. Along with the application, the hospital was required to submit a letter of intent with the zoning change request stating specifically what services would be offered and insuring that there would be no duplication of services presently offered by Northside Hospital. St. Joseph’s will specialize in neurological, vascular and coronary care.

Plans to build a doctors’ office building adjacent to the new infirmary site were announced recently by Sister Mary Brian, RSM, administrator of the hospital. Sister said interest expressed by physicians for such a facility had prompted hospital officials to plan for the building.

Originally, there were no plans contemplated for a doctors’ building but Sister Brian said it soon became apparent that a professional building was essential to maintain a staff for the hospital. Although the building is being planned primarily to serve doctors connected with St. Joseph’s, it will also serve physicians working in the entire hospital complex at St. Joseph’s, Scottish Rite and Northside.

The size of the professional building has not been determined and a survey is now being conducted among medical professionals that will indicate the number of medical personnel interested in locating offices in the facility. They present chapel at St. Joseph’s Infirmary, long recognized as one of the most beautiful in the archdiocese, is expected to be dismantled and restored at the new hospital site, according to hospital spokesmen.