A major expansion is underway at the emergency room at St. John's Riverside Hospital.

Leaders said the new space will offer patients more privacy and comfort. The project marks the start of a broader renovation aimed at transforming emergency care in the area.

"This is going to transform what it feels like to be a patient in our E.D.," says Dr. Raffaell Milizia, chief of Emergency Department. "It's going to provide a lot more privacy, a lot more comfort. It's going to let us use the space a little more efficiently and help people move through the process more quickly."

Renovations are expected to be complete by the end of next summer.