Midwest City and hospital agree to property swap
SSM Health Oklahoma acquired property on Parklawn Dr. that will be used for a new medical office building. Photo by Jeff Harrison
By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon
The City of Midwest City and SSM Health of Oklahoma agreed to swap properties near St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest.
Under the agreement, the city will receive undeveloped property at 601 National Ave. from SSM in exchange for 2018, 2800 and 2824 Parklawn Dr.
The move is part of a larger plan to redevelop the area around the hospital into a mixed-use destination district. SSM plans to build a new medical office building on the Parklawn Dr. properties, which are across the street from the hospital. The National Ave. property will eventually be redeveloped as commercial or urban living space for the hospital district.
“As we continue ‘digging in and building up’ in Midwest City, SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest is planning to build a medical office building on Parklawn Drive,” said Nick Dorety, marketing and communications consultant for SSM Health. “This will accommodate the growing number of physician specialists practicing at our health ministry. Our medical office building is just the first step of a larger plan, as we work hand-in-hand with the City of Midwest City to redevelop the area surrounding the hospital.”
The development of the Medical Group building is in the beginning phases, with an estimated completion in 2025, Dorety said.
Midwest City owns 301 N. Midwest Blvd., which abuts the National Ave. property. Robert Coleman, economic development director, said having the two properties together will make it easier to develop the area. The Midwest Blvd. parcel is an unusual shape.
“The property at 301 N. Midwest Blvd. is a somewhat unusual shape with a panhandle on the west end,” he said. “By getting 601 National Ave. it allows us to square off the parcels to make them more marketable.”
The Midwest Blvd. lot was the former site of a Chase Bank branch. The city bought the property in 2021 and demolished the building.
The city purchased the properties on Parklawn Dr. in 2021 for $418,000 as part of plans to redevelop the area around the hospital.
The properties included in the swap were equal in value, Coleman said.
Coleman said the city hopes to soon accept bids for public improvements in the hospital district. Plans include replacing water and sewer mains in the area as well as rebuilding the streets.
Midwest city and SSM Health Oklahoma are partnering to revitalize the area near the hospital. The plans focus on attracting new businesses and housing and better connecting the area with trails and public gathering spaces. The centerpiece of the project will be a large park gathering area near the intersection of National Ave. and Parklawn Dr. Plans include a roundabout at the intersection as well as improved streetscapes throughout the area.
The study for the project is available on the city’s website at http://www.midwestcityok.org/community-development/page/parklawn-dr-national-ave-revitalization-plan-design-code
The City of Midwest City and SSM Health Oklahoma agreed to exchange properties near St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest. SSM will receive property along Parklawn Dr., across the street from the hospital, and Midwest City will receive a property on National Ave. Image provided
