Micro-Hospital Proposed for Downtown West

[GoHarvOrGoHome]

Looks like the vacant lot next to the old Larry Rice building is getting a micro-hospital. Looks like a decent project. Real nice to get some new construction in the area.





https://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblo ... t-st-louis

[jstriebel]

Edit: I was off on my map.

But anyways, this would be great.

[chriss752]

Great. Hopefully this will help kick start new construction in Downtown West.

[mjbais1489]

I met Sonny last week. Seems like a great guy, hope he can pull it off.

[addxb2]

Jobs. Jobs. Jobs.
Huge for a part of downtown that still has a majority of it's historic structures standing! This could definitely be a catalyst for big changes.

[chriss752]

News 4 has additional Renderings. The building appears to be no higher than Larry Rice’s NLEC. I guess that is fine.

[dredger]

My first thought was this is heads above McKee's proposed northside hospital and those proposing can legitimately make it happen based on the credentials reported.

[rbb]

Very interesting concept, though there's a long way to go yet before any dirt (pavement?) is turned as they don't have financing lined up yet.

I wonder if they're working with the city yet? And I'd be curious to hear the input of folks who are around there regularly like robertn and biglargemchuge (I think...)

-RBB

[RuskiSTL]

Really hope this happens. Anyone know the last time there was a hospital downtown?

[moorlander]

Great news for DT West. Beautiful design!

[jstriebel]

Very interesting concept, though there's a long way to go yet before any dirt (pavement?) is turned as they don't have financing lined up yet.

I wonder if they're working with the city yet? And I'd be curious to hear the input of folks who are around there regularly like robertn and biglargemchuge (I think...)

-RBB

My buddy lives the next block over. He had positive thoughts on the project, with some slight reservations about potential ambulance noise (but nothing he'd nimby over even if he had the opportunity).

[chaifetz10]

Honestly, with a hospital that small, it's not going to have a huge ER anyways. Most ambulances would probably still go to SLU / BJC for trauma. I wouldn't even really call it a hospital. More like a supersized urgent care.

[bprop]

Honestly, with a hospital that small, it's not going to have a huge ER anyways. Most ambulances would probably still go to SLU / BJC for trauma. I wouldn't even really call it a hospital. More like a supersized urgent care.

Well sure, it's not going to be a trauma center, but how many ER visits fall into that category?

Meanwhile, somewhat related, a conversation I heard on Metrolink last week: a guy got on at Union Station and started chatting with someone he knew right in front of me:

Guy: "Hey, I'm feeling like I'm getting sick"
Friend: "Like you're going to throw up?"
Guy: "Oh no man. Nothing like that. Like I'm getting a cold."
Friend: "Go to Barnes."
Guy: "Like the emergency room?"
Friend: "Yea."
Guy: "They can help with that?"
Friend: "Yea, I think they can treat pretty much everything."
(Friend gets off at Grand. Lady across the aisle pipes up.)
Lady: "You better be fixin to wait!"
Guy: "I don't care about that. I got time. Should I go there?"
Lady: "Yea, you should just go there if you feeling sick."
Lady #2: "I think maybe you need to go to an urgent care."
Lady: "No, they treat all that at Barnes."
Guy: "Do they have one of those at Barnes?"
Lady: "No you just go to the emergency room there."
Guy: "OK. I'll do that."

He got off at CWE. I imagine he went to the emergency room for a cold he felt coming on. Not one mention of cost or payment.

Long story short, I have a feeling a downtown hospital would treat a lot of cases like this. And Saggar is adamant about separating stuff like this from real emergencies.

[chriss752]

^Interesting story. This micro hospital could be a good thing. To serve more purposes, if the group gets enough money, they should buy the NLEC Building and build all the way down to 14th.

[chaifetz10]

@Bprop, I don't disagree. But it's not going to attract a ton of ambulances and the sirens and noise that usually come with them is my point. From the renderings I've seen, I don't even see an ambulance bay included in the design.

[RuskiSTL]

Interesting to note is the ongoing beef between this guy and the Total Access guy. Didn't it all start because Saggar was calling out Total Access for offering way too many services, pushing the costs way up?

Between this plan and TA tearing down the Jon Paul building in Richmond Heights, I know which business I'd like to support. Urbanists Unite! :

[mjbais1489]

Saggar also owns this space:
http://www.stltoday.com/online/the-den/ ... 41d56.html

Very cool to have an event in if you ever need a ton of space

[bprop]

Didn't it all start because Saggar was calling out Total Access for offering way too many services, pushing the costs way up?

I think it was mostly about TAUC not accepting Medicaid, driving more people to the emergency room where Medicaid pays.

[billikens&bricks]

Any word on this development?

[chriss752]

Any word on this development?

I emailed Pamela Walker about this project and she got back to me and stated...

”We are working on several fronts simultaneously and in different stages:

- Obtaining IRS non-profit status
- Obtaining a Certificate of need
- Putting together financing
- Finding a home. Either new construction or putting one of our many vacant downtown buildings into a higher and greater community use.
- Lining up political and community support.

It is a slow process and a lot of balls are up in the air. We (Sonny & I) will keep you informed of our progress and as we get more details and options we will seek community input and support.

As a downtown homeowner I want to assure you that community and economic benefit is a must have for us.”

It's still moving forward.