HCMC Finds Location for West Metro

Hennepin County Medical Center has picked a new site in Minnetonka where it plans to open a West Metro clinic, replacing a previous project that HCMC canceled earlier this year along I-394.

HCMC now plans to redevelop a 22,000-square-foot, single-story building at 11525 Excelsior Blvd. at the intersection with Shady Oak Road, according to a Minnetonka planning department staff report.

The clinic plans to use about 12,000 square feet for primary and specialty care, a lab and pharmacy. It would also include 10,000 square feet for a 24-hour emergency department and/or urgent care capable of handling Level III trauma cases for conditions such as heart attack, stroke and fractures.

HCMC will discuss its concept plan with the Minnetonka Planning Commission on Thursday.

The city must consider approving some kind of interim use permit for the project because HCMC’s plans don’t conform withthe objectives of the Southwest LRT redevelopment guidelines. The station is within a few blocks of the planned Shady Oak Station.

The proposed clinic doesn’t meet two ordinance requirements for land use approvals and value because its likely the medical clinic would exceed 50 percent of the current property value of $1.5 million.

HCMC’s analysis says the area is underserved partly due to the 2009 closure of the Park Nicollet Hopkins Clinic and the relocation of the Park Nicollet Minnetonka Clinic to Shorewood

Source: Business Journal