Major hospitals and clinics lead a $35 million wave of healthcare development across the city.

Healthcare projects drive urban growth

As Cuenca celebrates its 205th anniversary of independence, cranes and scaffolding have become familiar sights. The city’s construction surge—once dominated by residential towers and shopping centers—is now increasingly fueled by a new force: healthcare infrastructure. More than $35 million is being poured into hospital expansions and new clinics, reflecting both growing demand for medical services and confidence in Cuenca’s economy.

Private and public initiatives are transforming the city’s medical landscape. Leading the charge is the Santa Ana Clinic, where a $9.5 million expansion on Paucarbamba Avenue will create a 15,659-square-meter complex. The design includes 122 consulting rooms, 20 hospitalization suites, four intermediate care rooms, and over 160 parking spaces. With 3,000 square meters of landscaped gardens and a terrace overlooking the city, the clinic’s president, Dr. Pablo Arízaga, says it will be “a hospital friendly to people, to doctors, and above all, to patients and their families.” The project, he added, aligns with Cuenca’s architectural character and emphasizes sustainability, earning it the label of a “green hospital.”

New towers join the skyline

Cuenca’s private medical expansion doesn’t end there. In February 2025, the Santa Inés Clinic began constructing its sixth tower on Agustín Cueva Street. Designed for both practicality and environmental certification, the building will include 40 medical offices and three underground levels, surrounded by green spaces and topped with a terrace for patient recovery. The tower’s completion is scheduled for the latter half of 2026.

Nearby, the San Juan de Dios Hospital is also building a new medical tower on Manuel J. Calle Avenue, while Solca Cuenca recently inaugurated a seven-story building with three underground parking levels—a $31 million investment aimed at strengthening cancer care services.

Public investment reaches rural Cuenca

The private sector’s enthusiasm is mirrored by municipal investment. The Municipality of Cuenca is spending $24 million to build three hospitals in the rural parishes of El Valle, Ricaurte, and Baños. The first facility, located in El Valle—one of the city’s fastest-growing areas—is nearly ready to open its doors. According to Jaime Espinoza, the city’s Director of Infrastructure, the three hospitals will provide healthcare access for about 60,000 rural residents who have long depended on city-center facilities.

A reputation built on care

Cuenca’s reputation for medical excellence stretches beyond its borders. In 2025, the city topped Numbeo’s ranking for quality of life in South America, with healthcare quality among the decisive factors. The previous year, it was listed among the world’s best cities for healthcare, recognized for its infrastructure, professional staff, and advanced medical technology.

Dr. Arízaga believes this reputation has become part of Cuenca’s identity: “Foreigners and migrants who come here always look for good healthcare. Our institutions have worked for years to make that one of Cuenca’s greatest strengths.”

Construction and real estate on the rise

The healthcare surge comes amid broader economic momentum. Henry Astudillo, president of the Cuenca Chamber of Construction, says the city’s real estate sector grew 18% in 2024, fueled mainly by residential buildings but increasingly supported by commercial and institutional developments such as hospitals and medical towers.

In 2024, Cuenca’s construction sector recorded $156.9 million in sales, up from $122.3 million the year before, while real estate sales rose to nearly $60 million. Those figures, combined with ongoing hospital investments, signal that Cuenca’s post-pandemic recovery is not just continuing—it’s evolving.

What began as a housing boom has turned into a transformation of the city’s very foundations, one hospital wing and medical tower at a time.