University of Utah purchases 14 acres in Power District to relocate Salt Lake City clinic
by Carter Williams ksl · KSL.comKEY TAKEAWAYS
- University of Utah buys 14 acres for new Redwood Health Center in Salt Lake City's Power District.
- The new site offers better transport options and proximity for existing patients, officials said.
- Construction planning is in early stages; opening and closing dates not yet set.
SALT LAKE CITY — University of Utah is taking a swing at Salt Lake City's forthcoming Power District, as it relocates one of its medical clinics.
The university's board of trustees voted on Tuesday to approve the purchase of 14 acres at 50 N. Redwood Road, between North Temple and Interstate 80, to make way for a new University of Utah Health Redwood Health Center. It would replace an existing center at 1525 W. 2100 South in the Glendale neighborhood, a little more than 3½ miles away.
Officials didn't disclose the exact purchase price, but documents said "the purchase price is aligned with the appraisal report," which listed the land's value at nearly $23.2 million. The new location's proximity to the existing clinic was a "super important" consideration, as was having more transportation options, said Gina Hawley, chief operating officer for U. Health Hospitals and Clinics.
"As we were thinking about the needs for the community and the expansion, the current site maybe didn't make sense for us. And the thought is maybe ... a brand new site would make better sense for Redwood Clinic and the growing demand," she said.
Utah lawmakers previously allocated $12.5 million for a 16,000-square-foot expansion of the Redwood Health Center, but further analysis determined that "significant modifications and operational impact" are needed to support that project, per university documents.
As such, the actual redesign was "going to be much more expensive" than originally believed, said Dr. Bob Carter, executive vice president for health sciences and CEO of the healthcare provider.
U. Health began scouting new locations, landing on a large piece of land primed for redevelopment. The Larry H. Miller Company acquired more than 100 acres near the Fairpark and Poplar Grove neighborhoods for a new district, most of which was on previous Rocky Mountain Power land.
It's where it would like to build a new Major League Baseball stadium, but the project also calls for a mix of office and residential buildings. A new Rocky Mountain Power headquarters tower is under construction, and funding has been secured for a 7-story residential building also in the district as part of the initial land overhaul.
The land allows U. Health to create "a larger, more modern health care destination" for west-side residents, offering expanded services in a modernized complex, officials said after the vote.
Approximately 55% of patients live within 5 miles of the current site, and 85% live within 10 miles, putting them close to the new site, too, Hawley said. The new location is closer to I-80 and North Temple, as well as several bus routes and a light rail station, giving patients multiple options to reach the future facility.
"This plan, I think, meets the needs and also sets the stage for the future," Carter added.
It wasn't immediately clear when ground will break on the new facility, as planning is still "in its early stages," university officials noted. A projected opening date of the new clinic and a closing date for the current one will be announced as those details are finalized.
Larry H. Miller Company officials said they are thrilled by their next big tenant, as the new district slowly comes together.
"Redwood Health Center is an important investment in Salt Lake City's west side," said Brad Holmes, the company's real estate president, in a statement after the board's vote. "We're proud to partner with University of Utah Health on a project that will improve quality of life and serve this community for years to come."
Contributing: Logan Stefanich
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.