Mega Doctor News
By Roberto Hugo González / Mega Doctor News
The City of Brownsville and DHR Health announced a new public-private partnership to expand DHR Health Brownsville, marking a major investment in local healthcare and economic development. City and hospital leaders described the agreement as a shared effort to improve access to medical services while creating new jobs and strengthening the city’s growing medical sector.
Under the agreement, DHR Health will invest approximately $17 million to expand the hospital, while the City of Brownsville will provide a $2 million incentive through a Chapter 380 grant agreement. The project includes a 14,000-square-foot expansion and is expected to create about 20 new high-paying healthcare jobs.
Dr. Carlos J. Cardenas, chairman of the DHR Health Board, emphasized the collaborative nature of the effort. “I can’t think of greater things that happen than when public officials, healthcare officials, and folks come together, and we form public-private partnerships, and that’s really what we’re here to celebrate today,” he said.
City leaders said the expansion will enhance a range of medical services, including emergency care, surgical services, radiology, and catheterization. The goal, they said, is to provide more care options closer to home for residents of Brownsville and Cameron County.
Mayor John Cowen Jr. outlined the financial commitments behind the project. “Collaboratively, DHR Health will invest approximately $17 million in this expansion project, as it continues to invest in Brownsville,” Cowen said. “The city will incentivize DHR Health Brownsville with $2 million for the enhancement of this hospital.”
Commissioner Gustavo De Leon placed the expansion within a broader city strategy. “Since being elected in May 2025, the city commission has made extraordinary strides towards the creation of a medical district right here in this area with the hospitals,” he said. He described the DHR project as a key part of that long-term vision.
City Manager Helen Ramirez reflected on how quickly DHR Health has become part of the community. “It started with a vacant building,” she said. “When they opened their doors to a building that had been vacant so long, not only did you bring life to the building, but you brought life to our residents by saving lives.” Ramirez also noted that DHR Health’s total investment in Brownsville, including earlier work, now exceeds $48 million.
Hospital leaders said the expansion is a response to growing demand for healthcare services in the region and part of a long-term commitment to the community. Marissa Castañeda, senior executive vice president of DHR Health, said, “We are here long term. We are here to continue to make a difference, to create jobs, to be a safety net hospital for this entire community and county.”
Ramirez said the partnership reflects confidence in Brownsville’s future. “What we believe is that this is the beginning of a beautiful future,” she said.
The hospital expansion is expected to begin construction as soon as all necessary permits are approved. It is expected to be completed within two years. Under the Chapter 380 Grant Agreement of the Texas Local Government Code, the City of Brownsville can offer incentives and grants to encourage private investment that supports community and economic development goals. The city will provide $2,000,000 in incentives to DHR Brownsville.
