Ascension, Purdue moving forward with Discovery Park medical facility
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Ascension St. Vincent in Indianapolis and Purdue University are moving forward with plans for a new neighborhood medical care facility at the Discovery Park District in West Lafayette, the university announced Wednesday.
The move comes nearly three years after the original plans for the facility were first announced, though work on the project has been delayed since that time.
To be located on a seven-acre site at the intersection of U.S. 231 and Airport Road, the facility is expected to have space for advanced urgent care, imaging, labs and primary care physicians, Purdue said.
In a news release, Purdue Research Foundation CEO Chad Pittman said it’s been a longtime desire of West Lafayette residents have more health care options close by.
“With the accelerated growth of local industry and employment opportunities, the time has arrived to welcome Ascension to our growing community,” Pittman said. “From investments by SK Hynix, Rolls-Royce, Saab and more to community-focused projects like Beck Barn and Provenance, amenities like the neighborhood medical care facility are directly driven by the economic activity around Purdue.”
Officials held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the project in November 2022, but construction never got off the ground. Stephan Masoncup, chief strategy officer for Ascension, told our partners at the IBJ late last year that the health system was reimagining plans for the facility along with Purdue.
The original plans for a micro-hospital at the Discovery Park District included eight emergency department treatment rooms and eight inpatient beds. That iteration of the project had a cost of $25 million.
Ascension declined to provide additional information to Inside INdiana Business on the latest plans for the new facility, including project cost, number of new jobs, and construction timeline.
“Ascension St. Vincent remains committed to expanding access to high-quality, convenient healthcare services for the Greater Lafayette community,” Masoncup said in a written statement to IIB. “As health care needs evolve, so do our plans to best serve patients. We continue to work closely with Purdue University to ensure the new facility in Discovery Park District provides essential services, including advanced urgent care, imaging, labs, and primary care. Our goal is to offer accessible, patient-centered care that meets the community’s needs today and into the future.”
Purdue said when the new building is completed, its West Lafayette Center for Health Living will relocate to the new facility.