Making Way for MedExpress in BH

Bulldozers have made short work of the former home of Old National Bank on the front lot of the Fairplain Plaza, as they pave the way for a new urgent care center coming soon on that site. Demolition crews from Midwest Construction of Zeeland are clearing the site to get things ready for a new MedExpress Urgent Care center at 1803 M-139 next to Aspen Dental.

As I reported to you back in March, the former bank building was purchased by Fairplan NVO last winter. That’s a limited liability company based in Chagrin Falls, Ohio which will in turn lease the building to the doctors who are establishing the new MedExpress unit. Chain link fencing was erected around the entire perimeter of the site back in May, but the wrecking crew just launched the tear-down this week.

The new MedExpress is one of a dozen such facilities being planned for Michigan alone. The urgent care group already has facilities in more than 165 communities in 14 states across the nation, offering walk-in treatment for everyday illness and injury, including more advanced offerings such as X-rays, IVs, labs, minor surgery, stitches and treatment for broken bones, sprains and strains. Each center typically offers basic wellness and prevention services such as immunizations, flu shots, sports physicals and counseling for smokers looking to stop as well as employer health services including workers’ comp, injury care and pre-employment screenings.

Old National had just spent more than $45,000 on a makeover of the branch bank which had been obtained from Bank of America before the decision was made to close down a number of Old National branches in the system.

The new MedExpress Urgent Care center slated to be erected on that site is targeted to be just under 5,000 square feet with 56 parking spaces according to site plans filed with Benton Charter Township Building Inspector Tom Baldwin. Architectural drawings have not be released yet, however many recent new buildings in the system look like the one pictured below from FrameCo Incorporated of Cleveland, Ohio, who provided the load bearing wall panels as well as composite roof joist and deck systems at multiple locations across the country.

The Fairplain medical center is one of a dozen coming to Michigan, where there are already six up and running. The existing centers are in Battle Creek, Jackson, Monroe, Muskegon, Port Huron and Portage. Those planned for construction are coming not only to Benton Harbor, but also to Detroit, Holland, Mount Clemens, New Baltimore, St. Clair Shores, and Ypsilanti, with another five targeted for the Grand Rapids market including in Jenison, Plainfield, Walker, Wyoming, and on 28th Street East.

MedExpress is staffed by a full medical team and is open 12-hours a day from 8am until 8pm with no appointment necessary and most insurance programs accepted. The company is headquartered in Morgantown, West Virginia. It is an Optum Company, a national leader in the delivery of high-quality, convenient, affordable healthcare in a patient-centric manner. The urgent care provider was founded 15 years ago on the foundation of Great Care. Fast.

There is no known target for completion of the new building coming, however Benton Township planners have been told that the new construction should take about 120 days from start to finish, so assuming that process begins soon after site clean up, the new center could be open before the end of the year.  Stay tuned.