HCA plans to move ahead on a long-frozen $120 million plan to expand Overland Park Regional Medical Center over the next few years.
The multiphase project, located roughly at 10500 Quivira Road, will mainly consist of work to renovate existing hospital spaces while also physically adding two new floors to a hospital tower.
Earlier this month, the Overland Park City Council Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee voted 5-1 to recommend approval of an application for economic development revenue bonds and a sales tax exemption on construction materials tied to the Overland Park Regional Medical Center expansion project.
According to city documents, the sales tax exemption would offer an estimated $5.6 million in savings. The application is for $60 million in bonds.
“It’s obviously a good investment, in my opinion,” said Councilmember Jim Kite, explaining his support for the use of incentives despite his lingering concerns about the impact some of these planned upgrades may have on his nearby neighborhood.
Others concurred, with Councilmember Sam Passer saying he viewed having a health care facility like Overland Park Regional as an economic development tool.
“I believe that something like this can grow our city, can lead to economic development,” he said.
Councilmember Melissa Cheatham, on the other hand, cast the dissenting vote, voicing skepticism about whether the hospital actually needed the bonds and exemption to complete the expansion project.
Hospital expansion plans first circulated in 2012
The Overland Park City Council first approved the hospital’s expansion plans in 2012 with a special use permit and a final development plan. Those plans included a new five-story medical tower, the relocation of the medical evacuation helipad and additional surgical units, among other features.
Though the hospital didn’t complete all of the 2012 expansion plans, it did build a three-story residential tower and added some surgical units.
Now, Overland Park Regional intends to complete the original expansion plans in two phases for an estimated combined price tag of $120 million.
All told, the construction work will add the two remaining stories to the medical hospital tower from 2012, increase space for the surgical department with some new construction, move the main helipad to a building rooftop, expand and modernize operating rooms and grow the neonatal intensive care unit.
“All of these are expansions and improvements that were part of that vision from 2012,” said Greg Musil, an attorney representing the hospital.
Next steps:
- The bond and sales tax exemption application goes to the full city council for consideration next.
- The finance committee’s action also instructed city staff to negotiate a development agreement, which would also need city council approval.
- Construction on the first phase is expected to start this summer and last into 2027. The city has started issuing permits for that work already.
- The later phase will begin the same year and wrap up in 2030.
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