Several health care providers are coming together to create a new regional medical district in downtown Cedar Rapids. The $40-million venture involves the Physicians Clinic of Iowa consolidating five offices into a new building which will run between two existing hospitals, Mercy Medical Center and St. Luke’s Hospital.
Mike Sundall is the C.E.O. of the Physicians Clinic of Iowa. “We are very excited and pleased to be a key participant in the formation of the medical district in downtown Cedar Rapids, but more importantly, part of the continuing redevelopment of downtown Cedar Rapids after the flood we experienced last year,” Sundall said. The new medical district, located along 10th Street Southeast in Cedar Rapids, will cover a 6 to 10 block section of downtown.
Sundall says the 180,000 square foot P-C-I facility will serve as a “medical mall,” featuring clinical, ancillary and other services. Supporters believe the plan will create jobs and allow increased taxation within the zone to fund infrastructure improvements. The medical district could also make Cedar Rapids a convenient destination for healthcare.
“At the end of the day, we felt this was best for not only our patients, but our physicians and staff, Cedar Rapids and the two hospitals which will be part of this medical destination that we’re going to develop together,” Sundall said. The Cedar Rapids City Council is expected to approve the district’s creation this week.
The city would be responsible for infrastructure improvements in the area. Sundall says he hopes the medical mall will be occupied by the end of 2012.