Toledo Hospital construction set for July 1 start

4/10/2005

ProMedica Health System expects to launch major construction of its $200-million Toledo Hospital Renaissance Project around July 1, according to a zoning request pending before the Toledo Plan Commission.

An application on the plan commission's agenda for 1 p.m. Thursday would consolidate the parcels that make up the hospital's 34-acre complex into one institutional campus with a master plan.

ProMedica's new Toledo Hospital is expected to be completed in 2007, but the entire master plan will be developed over a 5 to 10-year period.

The proposed campus extends from North Cove Boulevard to Monroe Street. Eventually, it is planned to extend across Monroe to I-475.

A key element is the location of a new I-475 interchange. Toledo Hospital and the city of Toledo are hoping ODOT will build an interchange with more direct access to the hospital than at present.

Tom Kroma, deputy director of the city's Department of Economic and Community Development, said the Ohio Department of Transportation will provide a full-access interchange between Jackman and Douglas roads, but hasn't said exactly where yet.

The city has agreed tentatively to transfer the 6.3-acre Colony Park to ProMedica. Earlier this year, Toledo City Council changed the zoning from park to commercial to accommodate ProMedica's plans.

Also part of the plans for Toledo Hospital is to make Oatis Avenue into a boulevard to serve as the hospital's new entrance. Last year, the hospital demolished 10 vacant apartment buildings on Oatis.

On Tuesday, Lucas County commissioners approved issuing up to $175 million in bonds to ProMedica to help pay for the hospital renovation. The project is expected to create 1,500 or more construction jobs and an undetermined number of hospital jobs. Hospital officials were not available yesterday for comment.

The Toledo Hospital master plan is one of 30 items pending before the plan commission. Among the other items are applications to:

Demolish 823-825 North Summit St., in the Vistula Historic District.

Rezone a vacant lot bounded by Cherry, Canton, and Beacon streets to build a 13-unit apartment building for recently homeless people.

Issue special-use permits for new Burroughs Elementary and McTigue Middle schools. The new Burroughs would be behind the existing school on the same parcel, 2420 South Ave. McTigue would be built at 5555 Nebraska Ave., adjacent to the existing Rogers High School, and about a half-mile from the present McTigue Junior High School, 5700 Hill Ave.

Contact Tom Troy at: tomtroy@theblade.com or 419-724-6058.