The city of Hoover, Ala., is in search of a hospital or medical partner for a new 90-acre health and wellness development.
The city announced its partnership for the Riverwalk Village with Region's Bank and real estate company Healthcare Resources on June 28, according to local news station WBRC. The development plans to feature medical offices, walking trails and green spaces, and eventually housing and retail.
The area was chosen for its proximity to existing research, biotechnology and life sciences companies, city leaders told the Hoover Sun. The partners aim to transform 450,000 square feet of existing offices owned by Regions Bank into a "Riverwalk Health & Wellness Center," which will offer a variety of services from pediatrics to geriatrics. They envision a "boutique hospital" with the potential for outpatient surgery and ambulatory care but not critical services, according to Alan Paquette, chair of the Hoover Health Care Authority.
Mr. Paquette said the city needs "enhanced healthcare opportunities" to keep pace with population growth. Preventive care is also a factor, according to Christy Roddy, chief strategy officer of Healthcare Resources.
"The future of health care is focused on integrating prevention and wellness as part of overall patient care," Ms. Roddy said in a news release obtained by the Sun. "This site is uniquely positioned to be able to bring those aspects to the community."
No healthcare providers have partnered on the project yet, according to local news reports, but the developers are searching for a collaborator.
"It's no secret that we have been working very hard to attract some kind of health care provider on a larger scale," Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato told WBRC. "What that looks like and what type of medical facility that is … those are things we are working on."