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http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/0913hospital13.html
A plan to develop specialty hospitals, doctors' offices and biotech research firms - orbiting around a medical school - is taking shape in Mesa.
The Alter Group, a Chicago developer, today will announce its intention to build an $18 million long-term acute-care hospital at the Arizona Health & Technology Park at Baseline and Recker roads.
Mesa Specialty Hospital is projected to have 60 beds and serve people who need prolonged treatment, such as physical therapy or dialysis. advertisement
A.T. Still University of Health Sciences in Missouri bought more than 50 acres of land in Mesa and tapped the Alter Group to develop a mixed-use campus there. It moved the Arizona School of Health Sciences from Grand Canyon University in 2001 and opened the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health in 2003. This year, it debuted a dental clinic and is making plans for a four-year osteopathic medical school and speculative office space.
Alter is bringing in Alabama-based Preferred Continuum Care to open and run the specialty hospital.
The facility will give the campus a big boost, said Kurt Rosene, senior vice president of the Alter Group. He said several national developers are interested in building long-term acute-care centers.
"To build these specialty hospitals is somewhat of a phenomenon," he said. "It's an extremely underserviced area, and that's why this facility is in a rush to get up and get building."
The Alter Group is finalizing designs and hopes to break ground next year. The hospital would open in the first quarter of 2007.
Laura Moore, vice president of corporate development for Preferred Continuum Care, said Mesa is attractive for its residential growth, high Medicare population and nearby acute-care hospitals, which could feed into Mesa Specialty Hospital.
At least five other hospitals are planned or under construction in the Valley with scheduled completion dates in 2007 or before.
