Oct 27, 2009

Future hospital's already a big draw

Silver Cos. is building a medical office park opposite the new HCA Hospital in Spotsylvania County

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By: Cathy Jett

 

Date published: 10/16/2009

BY CATHY JETT

 

Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center won't open until next summer, but doctors offices already are starting to spring up around it.

The Silver Cos. is building a 60-acre medical office park behind Cosner's Corner and directly across from the hospital, and sold land behind the Kohl's in the Massaponax shopping center for another medical office building that just opened.

"Any time you have a big user such as a hospital, you get doctors offices and special centers around it," said Russell Seymour, Spotsylvania County's economic development director. "I liken them to magnets."

Spotsylvania Parkway Medical Plaza LLC purchased 7.5 acres between Kohl's and Interstate 95 from the Silver Cos. for its Mary Washington Heathcare-Cosner's Campus last October. The company was attracted by the hospital, the location on I-95 and the bridge the Silver Cos. is building across the interstate that will link it to Cosner's Corner, said Bill Johnson, one of the partners in the project.

Demand was so high that the first of two 42,000-square-foot buildings on the site was completely leased before it opened. Tenants are MediCorp, Fredericksburg Orthopedic Associates and Physical Therapy, and Virginia Interventional Spine Associates.

"We're signing preliminary leases for Phase II at this point, and offering ownership opportunities as well," Johnson said. "As soon as we get enough preliminary leases, we'll start construction. It's about a nine-month construction process."

The Silver Cos.' medical park is tentatively named Cosner's Corner East. The first project will be a 40,000-square-foot medical office building built behind Dick's Sporting Goods in the shopping center. The developer hopes to have about half of it leased soon and ready for occupancy by the time the hospital opens.

"The day the hospital opens, doctors want to be open," said project manager John Riley.

The Silver Cos. also is pouring concrete for the bridge that will cross I-95. It will allow Spotsylvania Parkway, which cuts through Cosner's Corner, to intersect with Hospital Boulevard. Hospital Boulevard ends at the stoplight at U.S. 17 and Germanna Point Drive.

The bridge should be finished when the Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center opens, Riley said, but the section of Spotsylvania Parkway that goes past it is expected to be complete by year's end.

The Silver Cos. initially had expected to continue building retail stores and some medical offices from Cosner's Corner to the hospital, but reversed plans after seeing the demand from doctors and doctor groups, he said. Retailers in Cosner's Corner East now likely will be limited to such things as drugstores and restaurants.

Buildings in the medical office park will take their cue from the hospital to give them a consistent look, and will feature brick, precast stone and lots of windows.

"It's clean and contemporary, with enough brick so it feels welcoming," said Dawn Hoover, Silver Cos. vice president for commercial sales and leasing.

Cathy Jett: 540/374-5407
Email: cjett@freelancestar.com

www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2009/102009/10162009/500971