Isabel Meléndez-RiveraA planned health center next to a major transit hub will make it easier than ever for west-siders to get to their doctors’ appointments.
In fact, it’ll land at the Power District, an area that will soon see major growth.
After scratching an initial renovation plan, University of Utah Health is now moving the Redwood Health Center to the buzzy multiuse development. Earlier this week, The U.’s Board of Trustees approved a 14-acre land acquisition from Power District developer Larry H. Miller Real Estate.
“It’s just going to fit our needs for the future [to have] a larger, more modern facility to take care of the Redwood [Road] and the west-side communities,” U of U Health Chief Operating Officer Gina Hawley said. “We want a clinic that’s going to be able to support that community for decades to come.”
The current health center, at 1525 W. 2100 South in the Glendale neighborhood, will not close until the new one opens, so patients should not be concerned about reduced care, she said. Quite the opposite, the new location will come with expanded and improved clinical services.
As it is, the health center is outdated and lacks a “patient-centered” design, she said. The healthcare provider originally planned a 15,000-foot expansion, but later realized a new location would allow it to treat more patients and add even more services.
According to Hawley, the Power District property on 50 N. Redwood Road was the most ideal because of two location advantages: There are multiple TRAX and bus stops nearby and it’s 3.6 miles away from the current site so patients won’t have to plan travel much differently.
(University of Utah Health) A map of the west-side Power District in Salt Lake City with the health center property marked in red.
As a part of the deal with Larry H. Miller Real Estate, U of U Health will be the exclusive health care provider at the Power District.
In a statement, company President Brad Holmes said the move is “an important investment in Salt Lake City’s west side.”
“Larry H. Miller Real Estate sold approximately 14 acres at the Power District to University of Utah Health, allowing it to create a larger, more modern healthcare destination that will improve quality of life and serve the community for years to come,” he said. “It is an important addition to the Power District — a place where business, community and recreation come together.”
Now that university trustees have approved the acquisition, the next step is to pick what services will be offered at the building and how many people it’ll serve. There is no clear timeline for when the new center will open.
