Healthcare is no longer just a medical issue—it is a business one.
The Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce will host its 2026 Regional Healthcare Symposium on Tuesday, April 21, bringing together healthcare leaders, policymakers, and business professionals to discuss the issues shaping the industry across Mercer County and the region.
The event will run from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Princeton Marriott at Forrestal in Plainsboro. Advance registration is required. Tickets and additional information are available through the Chamber’s website www.princetonmercerchamber.org.
The symposium will highlight the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) expansion in Mercer County as a key example of how healthcare investment is shaping both access to care and economic development.
CHOP’s planned redevelopment of the former AMC theater site in Hamilton Township is expected to bring new services, jobs, and long-term growth to the region, positioning the project as a central focus of the discussion.
Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin will deliver opening remarks. Keynote speakers will be David Kontra, assistant vice president of real estate for CHOP, and Donald E. Moore, senior vice president of real estate, facilities and operations.
The program will also feature a panel of regional healthcare leaders including, Lisa Breza, chief administrative officer at RWJUH Hamilton; James Demetriades, CEO of Penn Medicine Princeton Health; and Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health.
The discussion will be moderated by Chrissy Buteas, president and CEO of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey.
The program will focus on key issues at the intersection of healthcare, business strategy, and community impact.
Expected topics include workforce challenges, the evolving research environment, access to care, and the growing role of technology and artificial intelligence in healthcare.
The symposium also comes at a time of significant change in the region’s healthcare landscape, highlighted by major investments and new development projects that are expected to reshape access to care and drive economic activity.
CHOP’s acquisition of the former AMC theater property was announced in July 2025. The 42-acre site is being prepared for redevelopment into a pediatric healthcare facility, with the township and county working alongside CHOP as plans move forward.
Hamilton officials have described the project as a major step toward expanding healthcare access while also strengthening the local economy. The redevelopment process is ongoing, with proposals under review and long-term construction planning expected to follow.
The site’s future use also reflects key land-use decisions made by the township. Following the theater’s closure, officials said multiple proposals were submitted to develop warehouse space on the property, but those plans were rejected in favor of a project with broader community impact.
“Since AMC closed, I don’t know how many developers we’ve said no to who wanted to build a warehouse there,” Martin said in a September 2025 interview with U.S. 1. “Because of the zoning on the site, we were able to push back on that.”
Martin emphasized both the healthcare and economic importance of the CHOP project.
“As a parent to a young child, I know the concern of every parent for their child’s health,” he said when the acquisition was announced. “And having CHOP here in our backyard ensures the children of Hamilton will always have easy access to the best possible medical care.”
He also pointed to the long-term economic benefits.
“We are certainly excited to be their Central Jersey headquarters,” Martin said. “Not only bringing jobs here locally, but (also) ensuring our children who need the very best medical care can stay right here in Hamilton to get it.”
While CHOP has not publicly released detailed plans, township officials have said early discussions included a first-phase facility of approximately 120,000 square feet, signaling a substantial investment and long-term presence in the region.
The partnership has already begun to take shape in practical ways. In February 2026, CHOP granted Hamilton Township police and fire divisions access to the former theater site for emergency response training ahead of demolition.
The facility’s size and layout allowed first responders to conduct complex simulations, including search-and-rescue operations and coordinated emergency drills that are difficult to replicate in traditional training environments.
“Public safety is our top priority, and providing our police officers and firefighters with realistic training environments is essential to their readiness,” Martin said.
“Not only are they bringing world-class pediatric healthcare to our backyard, but by opening this site for our first responders before demolition , they are actively helping us to keep our community safer,” Martin added.
CHOP officials said the collaboration reflects a broader commitment to the community.
“We are honored to become members of the community and are committed to supporting both the continued growth of the area and the safety and well-being of those who live and work here,” said Donald E. Moore, senior vice president of real estate, facilities and operations.
The symposium will also provide insight into the planning and development behind projects like the Hamilton facility.
David Kontra, assistant vice president of real estate at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, is expected to offer perspective on how healthcare systems approach growth and expansion.
In his role, Kontra oversees strategy and execution of real estate initiatives across the organization, including property development, acquisitions, leasing, and portfolio optimization.
His work focuses on aligning real estate decisions with CHOP’s clinical, research, and operational priorities, working closely with senior leadership and external partners to ensure that facilities support patient care goals while enabling long-term growth.
Kontra brings experience in real estate strategy, facilities management, and portfolio optimization developed over a career that has included roles in both corporate and healthcare settings. His expertise reflects the increasingly complex role that real estate plays in healthcare delivery, particularly as systems expand into new markets.
He also has extensive experience in aligning operational needs with long-term planning, an approach that is critical as organizations like CHOP balance rapid growth with the need to maintain efficiency and quality of care.
Moore, who will also play a key role in the discussion, oversees a broad portfolio that includes real estate, facilities development, master planning, and facilities operations at CHOP. He is responsible for ensuring that the organization’s built environment aligns with its strategic priorities and supports its expanding clinical and research footprint.
He is currently leading CHOP’s largest-ever capital expansion program, valued at more than $4 billion, reflecting the scale of investment required to support growth in modern healthcare systems.
With more than four decades of experience in real estate and facilities development, Moore has worked on projects spanning healthcare, research, education, and commercial sectors, bringing a comprehensive perspective to large-scale planning and execution.
His work highlights the increasing importance of infrastructure in healthcare delivery, as organizations invest not only in medical services but also in the physical environments needed to support innovation, collaboration, and patient care.
The expansion of pediatric healthcare capacity also comes as new research highlights growing challenges in children’s health nationwide.
A study led by CHOP found that children’s health in the United States is declining across multiple measures, including chronic illness, mental health conditions, and mortality rates.
Researchers said the trends are not limited to a single issue, but instead reflect a broad set of systemic challenges affecting children across different populations and regions.
The findings suggest that improving outcomes will require coordinated efforts across healthcare providers, communities, and policymakers.
The study also emphasizes the importance of access to care and early intervention, factors that are central to projects like the Hamilton facility.
Expanding local access to specialized pediatric services can play a key role in addressing gaps in care and improving long-term health outcomes.
Beyond immediate health impacts, the findings have broader implications for the business community. Children’s health is closely tied to long-term workforce development and economic stability, with healthier populations contributing to stronger communities and more resilient economies.
For attendees, the April 21 symposium offers an opportunity to better understand how these trends are shaping both the healthcare industry and the broader business environment.
The event’s format, which combines expert discussion with networking opportunities, reflects a growing emphasis on collaboration and information-sharing.
Bringing together professionals from healthcare, business, and government creates space for dialogue that can lead to partnerships and new approaches to shared challenges.
For business leaders, healthcare trends increasingly influence workforce planning, benefits, and long-term strategy.
For healthcare providers, collaboration with the business community is essential to addressing issues such as access, cost, and infrastructure development.
The Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce has positioned the symposium as a forum for those conversations, offering attendees both strategic insight and the opportunity to connect with peers across industries.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has acquired the Sloan Avenue space that formerly housed the AMC movie theater.,
