by Miles Jung-Kilbreath
Reporter
Streetsboro -- City and county officials came to the future site of Robinson Health Center April 24 to break ground on the center, which is tentatively set to open on July 15, 2009.
"Hopefully this can be a catalyst for more revitalization [in the center of the city]," Mayor Tom Wagner said.
The 75,000-square-foot center will cost an estimated $13.5 million to build and incorporate seven existing Streetsboro offices affiliated with Robinson Memorial Hospital into one building, according to Robinson Memorial Hospital vice-president of operations Richard Clough.
Clough said Robinson had been seeking land in Streetsboro to build a health center for awhile, and was "lucky" to purchase the 13.6 acres northwest of the corner of routes 14 and 43 from Don Joseph Toyota.
"The city has gotten big enough that we needed to expand here," Clough said.
The seven offices in the city that will become part of the center include: MedCenter One, Northeast Ohio OB/GYN, Portage Internal Medicine, Portage Orthopedics, Portage Pediatrics, Streetsboro Family Practice and Rehab Center.
Clough said the medical center will also include an imaging center with MRI and X-Ray services; women's imaging services such as bone densitometry, mammography and ultrasound; sleep lab facilities; and a new dermatology practice.
Clough said a YMCA, that was discussed to be part of the center, has pulled out of partnering with the center. He said YMCA officials could not make the "dollars and cents" work with the partnership.
Wagner said the center would be "a beautiful building in a great location."
"We are very fortunate that Robinson selected our city for this," he said.
Portage County Commissioners Chris Smeiles and Maureen Frederick also attended the ground breaking.
Smeiles said he is "very pleased" Robinson is expanding in Streetsboro.
Streetsboro Area Chamber of Commerce President Bruce Felber said the new health center shows the community is being recognized for its growth in both population and businesses.
"We are now even more of a major player in Portage County," Felber said.
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