Aspirus Grand View plans $16 million clinic project

IRONWOOD - Aspirus Grand View Hospital on Wednesday announced plans for a $16 million, 43,600-square-foot family medicine, cancer and specialty care clinic.

Hospital spokesman David Sim said the clinic will be attached to the current hospital, in front of the current clinic, which will stay open until the new facility is constructed.

When the new clinic is completed, the current clinic will be torn down and the space will be used for parking.

Sim said the project will take around 14 months.

HDR, from St. Paul, is the project engineer and the next step will be to finish design work on the expansion project, he said.

Plans call for construction bids to be let this summer. Groundbreaking is scheduled for this fall.

Completion of the project is expected during the winter of 2016.

"We will become a full Aspirus partner," Sim said, explaining that since 2010 Grand View has been a community-owned partner with Aspirus. Previously, Grand View was 70 percent owned by Aspirus, with 30 percent ownership by the Gogebic Range Health Foundation.

"The state-of-the-art facility will deliver easy access and new levels of privacy for patients. Features will include drive-up parking, a spacious welcoming entrance, a walk-in clinic, a larger community meeting room and beautiful, scenic views of the environment," Sim said in a statement.

Physical rehabilitation will also be offered in the new complex.

Aspirus Inc., of Wausau, Wis., "will infuse the resources needed to complete the new facility," the statement said.

Jeffrey Nehring, DDS, chairman of the Aspirus Grand View board, said, "Our partnership with Aspirus has resulted in expansion of services to our communities. In the last five years, Aspirus has supported Aspirus Grand View to add a state-of-the-art emergency care center, a world-class electronic health records system, heart care from visiting providers that is nationally recognized and a strong connection to the region's leading health care system.

"Aspirus gives us the momentum we need to continue to do more and more for our community," Nehring said.

"Our goal has always been to continue to provide enhanced services to our community. ... Not only is our future secure being fully integrated into Aspirus, but we are able to commit now to the construction of an exciting new health care facility that will accommodate our expanding services," said Paula Chermside, chief operating officer at Aspirus Grand View.

Matt Heywood, president and CEO for Aspirus, said, "We are proud of what Aspirus Grand View has been able to accomplish as a partner organization since our affiliation in 2010. We look forward to our future as we continue to deliver advanced programs and services..."

The entire Aspirus network includes more than 6,000 employees.

Chuck Nelson, U.P. Region Executive Officer for Aspirus, said the new facility will benefit the entire Gogebic-Iron community. "The future of health care for the Gogebic-Iron Range is stronger than it has ever been,'" Nelson said.

Sim noted in October, Aspirus Grand View completed a new emergency care center which includes 10 private patient rooms, a waiting area, a centralized nursing station and an outpatient laboratory.

Also, the entire computer infrastructure system at Grand View has been updated.

Grand View Hospital was established in 1923 and is one of Gogebic County's largest employers.