Prairie Center build-out kicks off $40M in construction on Avera’s campus

By Jodi Schwan

Avera plans to break ground on the initial phase of its Avera on Louise project later this month, but multimillion-dollar construction is starting first on its central Sioux Falls campus.

It starts with the top floor of the Prairie Center, which is being built out as a 24-bed rehabilitation unit. The estimated $5 million, 25,000-square-foot project on the fifth floor also will include a deck that patients, families and staff can use.

That frees up the current rehab unit in the main hospital to convert to other rooms and opens up space for a new intensive care unit, surgical suites and clinic space.

“It’s a domino effect,” said Dave Flicek, president and CEO of Avera McKennan. “We need to move some beds so we can create more.”

The new rehab unit will be state-of-the-art, he added, and the plan is to open it before the end of the year. Journey Group is the contractor on the project.

Altogether, Flicek estimates there will be $40 million in construction throughout the central Sioux Falls campus over the next few years.

“Growth is good. We’re growing and because we’re growing we need to do some renovations, but in the long run it’s good for the city, the community and the campus,” he said.

“And as physicians move out to Louise, that frees up clinic space for some of our practices back on campus like neurology and pulmonary where we can’t add physicians because we’re short on clinic space.”

Avera’s new medical center south of 26th Street and Marion Road also is under construction, with the top floor being finished for orthopedics. That allows space for newly hired orthopedic surgeons before they eventually move to the Louise Avenue campus.

The groundbreaking for Avera on Louise is scheduled for Aug. 22.

While the configuration has changed somewhat from the plan originally announced, “it’s still four stories on both sides with a spine in the middle, with a gathering area and small bistro restaurant,” Flicek said.

“We are full steam ahead.”

Avera announces new hospital, development plan for 69th & Louise

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Prairie Center build-out kicks off $40M in construction on Avera’s campus

Avera plans to break ground on the initial phase of its Avera on Louise project later this month, but multimillion-dollar construction is starting first on its central Sioux Falls campus.

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