SOUTHFIELD — A new Medical Wellness Center could soon be added to the downtown Southfield skyline, depending on the results of a study conducted by the Downtown Development Authority and several local organizations.
The study is being managed by KIRCO Health Partners and is set to begin by late August. KIRCO is a health care real estate, and development and investment company.
SOUTHFIELD — The Southfield Downtown Development Authority is looking to take advantage of the booming investment in the health care industry in the city by exploring the possibility of a Medical Wellness Center within DDA borders.
There are three major players in the health care industry in the city — St. John Providence Hospital, Health Alliance Plan and Oakland Community College — and DDA Executive Director Al Aceves believes a wellness center would be a perfect fit.
Following several health care-related investments in Southfield, a medical wellness center may be just what the city needs for continued growth. To that end, the Southfield Downtown Development Authority has joined with local employers and organizations to lead a feasibility study for such a facility.
“We believe that (a medical wellness center) is a natural progression for all of the health care-related activity that’s going on here,” says Al Aceves, executive director of the Southfield DDA.
Southfield does not have a traditional “downtown” the way we understand traditional downtowns in cities small and large. There is no picturesque Main Street with wrought iron lampposts and perennial flower landscaping lined with charming historic buildings that house independently-owned boutiques and pre-Prohibition-themed craft cocktail bars, and no cluster of towering skyscrapers and city streets bustling with professionals, shoppers, and tourists going about their busy days.
You may have seen the article about the wellness center feasibility study that the Southfield DDA is undertaking along with our partners in dBusiness late last week.
As part of the first phase of this study we need to determine if the local market, both residents and employees of businesses in and around the Southfield DDA, would be able to support such a wellness center. If so, our next step would be to determine the scope, size and services that a wellness center would offer.
This study is important for two reasons. First, it fits with the healthcare growth and emphasis that has been a part of our strategy for the last few years. With more physician practices, healthcare services, and the continued growth at Providence Hospital in Southfield, a wellness center available to the public would only further enhance our healthcare footprint.
Second, a wellness center would add to the tax base of the Southfield DDA and give us a new development to feature. It, or other large-scale developments like it, can serve as a magnet for opening the door to conversations with developers on new retail, commercial and residential opportunities.
Many thanks to our partners who have helped to invest in this feasibility study. The cost of the phase one study is being shared by the Southfield DDA, Providence Hospital, Health Alliance Plan, Medical Main Street powered by Oakland County, Farbman Group and Solo Development.
These partners share our vision for what the DDA will be in a few years, and the continued opportunities that exist here. Whatever the results of the study bring, we are committed to finding new development options that best meet the needs of our stakeholders who work and live in the DDA.
Read more about how the the Southfield DDA and several partners are gauging the feasible of a wellness center within the Authority.
Southfield, Mich. – The Southfield Downtown Development Authority is partnering with several local employers and organizations on a phase one feasibility study for a new Medical Wellness Center within the DDA’s borders.
The study is slated to begin by late August and is being managed by KIRCO Health Partners, a healthcare real estate development and investment company. The goal of the phase one study is to determine whether the market can support such a center within the Southfield DDA area. KIRCO Health Partners has formed a strategic relationship with firms specializing in the clinical integration of traditional outpatient facilities and state of the art fitness centers.
The cost of the phase one study is being shared by the Southfield DDA, St. John Providence Hospital, Health Alliance Plan, Oakland County Medical Main Street, Farbman and Solo Development.
The phase one study is expected to take about 60 days to complete. At that point it will be determined whether a phase two study will be needed to help determine locations for a possible wellness center, along with other strategic details. The Southfield DDA and KIRCO Health Partners have already identified a few wellness center sites that would be considered if market demand is present.
“With all the people who live and work in and around the Southfield DDA we think our location is in an ideal place for a wellness center but we need to do our due diligence,” said Southfield DDA Executive Director Al Aceves. “It would also be a perfect fit for the DDA given our growing healthcare presence with an increasing number of physician offices, outpatient services and more.”
For more information on the plans for the phase one wellness center study, contact the Southfield DDA at 248-796-5190.
Read about the Southfield DDA’s $107 million impact in Oakland County Prosper
