In a nod to Woodbury's bustling medical industry, the City Council voted recently to approve plans to add 126 parking spaces at Woodwinds Health Campus.
That's the first step in an envisioned expansion that someday could include three medical office buildings and dramatic improvements for Woodwinds, the only hospital in Woodbury.
"It's really turning into something of a medical alley," said Tony Thomas, director of corporate real estate for HealthEast Care System, to which Woodwinds belongs.
The hospital is running out of parking because of high demand in orthopedic and maternity services and because of recent room additions, Thomas said. In January, Woodwinds opened eight new patient beds as part of a $3.5 million expansion. The hospital, near Interstate 494 on Woodbury's west side, now has 84 beds.
"There's a terrible shortfall of parking," Thomas said.
A survey the city commissioned a year ago showed Woodbury was underserved by medical services compared with several nearby cities. In May, the city created a medical district where it wanted to see more development. "This is really consistent with the medical campus," Janelle Schmitz, the city's planning and economic development manager, said of Woodwinds' plans.
Woodwinds eventually wants to build three medical office buildings for outpatient services and clinics. The buildings, north of the hospital, would total about 140,000 square feet.
The hospital also has long-range plans for two more floors of beds, an expanded emergency room and potential for outpatient surgery suites, Thomas said. The HealthEast board of directors hasn't approved these plans, he said.
