Ryan Completes Three New Healthcare Facilities in the Midwest

Over the last two years, there’s been a greater demand for more accessible high-quality care at a lower cost to patients. This is driving Ryan’s healthcare clients to add new outpatient clinics and community hospitals at a faster pace. In 2021, Ryan completed 15 healthcare projects across the country. And three of those projects were completed by Ryan’s Great Lakes region including Edward-Elmhurst Health Center in Woodridge, Ill.; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in West Indianapolis; and Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Community Hospital in Mequon, Wis.

“These three projects are representative of the fast-growing ambulatory segment of the healthcare industry,” said Curt Pascoe, director of real estate development. “Changes to insurance reimbursements and consumer demand for a convenient healthcare experience are also driving growth of facilities delivering outpatient services.”

Edward-Elmhurst Health Center

In Woodridge, Ill., a west suburb of Chicago, Ryan developed, built, and now serves as property manager of a new health center for tenant Edward-Elmhurst Health (EEH), one of Illinois' largest integrated health systems that recently merged with NorthShore University Health System. The two-story, 36,100-square-foot health center opened in October 2021 at the southwest corner of Route 53 and 75th Street and includes offices for primary care physicians and specialists. Other services include a walk-in clinic, behavioral health, physical therapy, laboratory and diagnostic imaging.

“This marks the second suburban Chicago clinic we’ve built in partnership with EEH, so it’s exciting to expand on our terrific relationship with this client that is recognized nationally for quality care and patient safety,” Pascoe said. “We also developed an EEH clinic on Schiller Street in downtown Elmhurst that opened in September 2018.”

VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic

Ryan also recently completed the design-build construction of the single-story, 80,000-square-foot clinic in Brownsburg, Ind., just 10 minutes west of Indianapolis, that opened in October 2021. Ryan assisted owner West Indy VA LLC in site selection and facilitating the city and entitlement process along with leading the design-build process and constructing the facility.

“Our previous experience working with this owner on similar projects across the country have positioned us to meticulously manage strict specifications, requirements and project timelines,” said Steve Stecker, vice president of National Healthcare Construction at Ryan. “We engaged trusted local subcontractors to deliver the project on time and on budget.”

Within 13 months after mobilization on site, the clinic was ready to provide primary care and a host of specialty services, including mental health, orthopedics, podiatry, neurology, cardiopulmonary, women’s health, blood draw, optometry, audiology, radiology, prosthetics and physical therapy to an estimated 17,000 veterans annually. The building also houses a pharmacy, flexible meeting spaces for its 175 staff members, food services, a chem lab, police services with holding room and armory, a training classroom, several locker rooms and a loading dock. The clinic is certified by the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes program, receiving two Green Globes for its sustainable features.

Lantz-Boggio Architects served as the project architect.

Froedtert Community Hospital - Mequon

For repeat client Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network (Froedtert & MCW health network), Ryan recently completed construction of the approximately 17,000-square-foot Froedtert Community Hospital – Mequon in December 2021. The future small-scale hospital is located across the street from the 89,300-square-foot Froedtert Mequon Health Center, that Ryan developed in 2017. Situated on Port Washington Road in Mequon, Wis., a north suburb of Milwaukee, the future community hospital will have eight inpatient beds, a seven-bed emergency department, a laboratory, pharmacy, imaging services and ample backup systems with 1200-amp electrical service, 300kW/375VA emergency generator, two 50-ton remote terminal units (RTUs), hydronic heat and onsite synthetic natural gas.

“This project continues the long-standing relationship we value with the Froedtert & MCW health network,” Pascoe said. “It’s a great testament to our team that the Froedtert & MCW health network has trusted us to provide development, construction and real estate management services for this community hospital as well as six other healthcare facilities over the past decade. For this most recent project, our development team hit it out of the park with site selection and meeting with neighbors concerned about impact while also navigating complex municipal permitting.”

To overcome the challenge of finding a suitable site in the popular Mequon area, Ryan combined two former residential parcels, secured zoning changes and obtained multiple easements. The hospital will be a fully licensed, accredited acute-care hospital scheduled to open for patient care in the first half of 2022.

Eppstein Uhen Architects served as the project architect.