HUNTLEY – Huntley officials lauded a state board’s decision to allow Centegra Health System to build a long-awaited, full-service hospital in an area that has seen rapid development in the past decade.

The new hospital is projected to be operational in 2016, bringing jobs, more accessible health and emergency care to a village that has seen exponential population growth, massive housing development and years of upgrades to its roads, and potentially business development.

“It definitely adds a regional draw to Huntley,” said Victor Narusis, the village’s business recruiter. “Any time you have an organization that commits over $200 million to a community, that sends the message to others that Huntley is a place that is growing and a place that people want to come to live. It’s a very important decision.”