Winter Haven, Fla., September 9, 2015

Winter Haven Hospital Starts Construction of New Multi-Phase Medical Clinic for BayCare Medical Group on State Farm Donated Land

Bulldozers have started clearing land at the State Farm property donated to the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation to help improve access to affordable health care. The bulldozers will soon be replaced with crews from Henkelman Construction to build 5,300 square feet of clinic space for BayCare Medical Group.

Winter Haven Hospital, part of the BayCare Health System, is financing the project at a cost of $2.3 million for the first phase. This phase includes one building, two parking lots, a covered breezeway, and a retention area. The interior of the building will house 12 exam rooms, six provider office spaces, two larger rooms for procedures, a phlebotomy station, and plenty of storage and support space.

BayCare Medical Group, also part of BayCare Health System, has more than 450 providers and 30 specialties in more than 100 locations. Their current clinics in Polk County include six family health centers, two cardiac specialists, urology, and oncology.

The 3.33-acre property sits at 7599 Cypress Gardens Boulevard, on the southeast corner of State Farm’s Florida headquarters site. State Farm donated the property to the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation to further their mission of helping people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams.

“State Farm is proud to be a partner with Winter Haven Hospital,” said Chris Neal, State Farm Public Affairs Manager. “This new addition promises to increase medical care access in our community and bring new jobs to our economy. A vibrant health care system in Winter Haven has a strong impact on our community being a great place to live and work.”
Future phases of the project allow for nearly 16,000 total square feet of improvements. The first phase will be built to easily accommodate additions, and all of the interior rooms will be fully plumbed to provide flexibility. Furthermore, the parking and retention areas to be built in this phase will meet the federal requirements for a 16,000 square foot medical clinic.

“We’re excited to begin construction,” said Steve Nierman, president of Winter Haven Hospital. “The building itself is designed to grow with the future health care needs of Winter Haven and the Ridge corridor. Adding access to more primary care and specialists is a priority of BayCare and Winter Haven Hospital, and we’re making that happen with this project.”

Joel Thomas, president of the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation, adds, “State Farm is, the proverbial good neighbor. They are always seeking to improve and protect the lives of others. On behalf of the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees, we want to express how grateful we are for State Farm’s magnificent investment in our not-for-profit organization and the community we serve. State Farm’s visionary gift allows the Foundation to provide Winter Haven Hospital with one of the most visible and valuable pieces of real estate in East Polk County for a new medical clinic.”
Construction will begin in September with a projected completion date in spring of 2016.