The city of Austin sang praises when abundant rainfall last year brought an end to an obstinate drought. However, the rain has also caused the price of the city's new teaching hospital to rise 5 percent, according to My Statesman.
The new teaching hospital, owned by Austin-based Seton Healthcare Family, has risen from $295 million to $310 million, officials disclosed this week. They cited construction delays from rain and rising labor costs attributed to Austin's building boom as reasons for the increased costs, a health system spokeswoman told My Statesman.
Austin had its second rainiest year on record last year, with 59.96 inches.
Seton Healthcare Family originally estimated the price of building the teaching hospital at $250 million, then raised it to $295 million.
Construction on the new facility is about halfway done, and hospital officials expect it to open in May 2017, according to the report.