SPRINGDALE -- Mercy Northwest Arkansas received approval Tuesday to build a multi-specialty medical campus in a growing part of the city.
The Planning Commission unanimously approved Mercy's request to build the campus in the southeast corner of Elm Springs Road and 48th Street. The facility will be 59,000 square feet and two stories tall, according to Daniel Ellis, vice president of Crafton Tull, the civil engineering firm working on the project.
Other action
The Planning Commission also approved a variance for modification of commercial design standards for Whitecap Inc. Whitecap is building a new location at 4784 N. Thompson St., and requested an additional 7,000 square feet for a storage yard.
Source: Staff report
The campus will be outpatient but have features beyond the average medical clinic, including a standing emergency room and helipad, according to Dennis Markey, an architect with Bates Architects, which is also working as the lead architecture firm on Mercy's main tower in Rogers.
"They haven't decided what specialties will be in the clinic yet. They're making it flexible so they can change the specialties according to the needs of the city," Markey said.
"It's all about providing patients the best care possible locally without having to drive to Rogers," Ellis added.
The campus also will have a retention pond. Ellis told the Planning Commission the pond will help maintain water quality.
The health system purchased almost 31 acres of mostly undeveloped land from Anders Springdale for $13.6 million in September 2016 to build the campus. Wal-Mart is located across the road. Several businesses have opened up in the Elm Springs Road area in recent years, including McDonald's, Panda Express, Whataburger, Dunkin' Donuts and MJ Pizzeria, said Bill Rogers, vice president of communications and special projects for the Chamber of Commerce.
"There's no question that the improved infrastructure that the Springdale taxpayers approved between the Elm Springs Road area and the new interchange at Don Tyson Parkway has had a major impact on economic development, specifically at Elm Springs Road," Rogers said. "The accessibility and the visibility of that interchange made that particular piece of property attractive to Mercy."
The new campus is part of Mercy's $247 million expansion, said Jennifer Cook, spokeswoman for the health system.
There are about a dozen medical clinics in the city, according to a list provided by Rogers.
Steve Goss, Mercy Clinic president, said in April 2016 the facility would be similar to the multi-specialty clinic Mercy opened in Bella Vista in 2013. The Bella Vista location is about 48,000 square feet, Ellis said.
Mercy unveiled its expansion plan in spring 2016. The plan is designed to add 1,000 jobs over five years.
Ellis didn't have details on how many employees will work at the new campus. Markey said the campus is expected to be completed in spring 2019.
NW News on 10/04/2017