Construction of new medical facilities has been surging over the past several years and more details surfaced this week about two such projects.
RJM Construction announced it has been hired by MSP Commercial to build a new specialized medical center in Eagan, advancing a project that is scheduled to begin this spring.
The 90,000-square-foot facility is being built for Woodbury-based Summit Orthopedics and is expected to be completed early next year. The current plan is bigger than what MSP Commercial originally announced back in the fall, when Summit anticipated the surgery and treatment center would be around 65,000 square feet.
The three-story center is being trumpeted as a "hotel-like" experience with "care suites," concierge services and underground parking. It will be on a 4.2-acre site currently covered with trees, just southwest of the Interstate 494 and Pilot Knob Road.
"This project will be closely modeled after Summit's award-winning Vadnais Heights location," said Amy Staudinger of S2 Enterprises, which represents Summit, in a statement. "The same core team was engaged to design and build this project to provide Summit with a lean process, minimizing time and cost and maximizing value."
Also this week, HealthPartners announced that it wants to be part of the action occurring near Luther Seminary in St. Paul. The company said this week that it's reached an agreement with Luther to purchase a small chunk of land on the north side of its current HealthPartners Como Clinic, where it plans to build a new clinic.
During the past few years, Luther has been hard at work trying to figure out how to make better use of its shady and picturesque campus in the quaint St. Anthony Park neighborhood. All that, of course, has been an effort to help fund future operations and renovations of some of their most historic buildings.
The seminary, which has a much smaller student body than it once did, sold some of its buildings to a local apartment operator and late last year it forged a deal to build an apartment building and a 49-unit senior housing cooperative. One of the partners on that deal is Ecumen, a Twin Cities-based senior housing operator.
"Como Clinic represents the roots of our organization, and we are pleased to partner with Luther Seminary and Ecumen on an investment that will continue to serve the community for decades to come," Beth Averbeck, HealthPartners' senior medical director for primary care, said in a statement.
According to the announcement, Como Clinic opened in 1957 as the first clinic for what was then Group Health. In 1992, Group Health merged with MedCenters to become HealthPartners.
"We are thrilled to be partnering with two well-respected organizations," said Robin Steinke, Luther Seminary president. "We are excited about how their work will enhance both the Luther Seminary campus and the surrounding communities."
The deal has yet to close and no renderings are yet available. The process is expected to take years and will include "an extensive community engagement and thoughtful design phase."
Groundbreaking is expected to happen in three to four years and construction would take about 18 months. The current clinic will remain open until the new facility, which is expected to be roughly the same size as the current clinic and will offer the same services, is completed.
Kristen Leigh Painter • 612-673-4767
Jim Buchta • 612-673-7376
