L.L. Bean founder Leon L. Bean’s grandson James Gorman and his wife, Maureen Gorman, have donated $1 million to Northern Light Mercy Hospital’s $20 million capital campaign for the closure and relocation of its downtown Portland hospital to a medical campus on Fore River Parkway.

“As longtime residents of southern Maine, we know Mercy serves an important role in caring for so many in our community,” the Gormans said Wednesday in a joint statement. “We are pleased to support the Sisters of Mercy’s continuing mission of compassionate care, which is the same today as it was when they founded the hospital over 100 years ago.”

In May, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services approved a certificate of need application for the planned hospital relocation, which would consolidate most of the nonprofit health care provider’s operations at the Fore River property. The hospital is negotiating with a developer for its current campus on State Street.

Obtaining the certificate of need was a critical step for Mercy executives, who hope to begin construction on the new, $75 million hospital in early 2020. They said construction would take roughly two years.

The hospital has said it needs to raise $20 million in private donations to proceed. On Wednesday, Mercy spokesman Ed Gilman said the campaign is approaching $15 million in donations.

“As you may recall, we launched the public phase of the capital campaign less than a year ago, and we’ve been thrilled with the support from members of our community who believe in Mercy’s work and mission,” Gilman said. “While we are working with several donors to confirm the exact amount of their commitment, we are pleased to be close to reaching 75 percent of our $20 million goal.”

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