A growing health care company is seeking city assistance to create a second entrance to its property under development on far North Seminary Street in Galesburg.
Graham Hospital Association owns the property located at 2028 N. Seminary St. and intends to develop the south parcel of the property for use as a medical facility. The city has an interest in the Graham creating a second entrance to this development —which aligns with the existing Mayo Drive — in order to establish an intersection that improves vehicular safety and accessibility, not only for the current development, but for any future uses that may further develop the property, and increase vehicular traffic.
Upon substantial completion of this project, the city would agree to provide Graham Hospital Association with $250,000. The city would then maintain, replace and repair the public roadway.
The City Council will consider the agreement at Monday’s meeting at City Hall.
According to city administration, in addition to the benefits of the roadway creation and alignment, the city also will benefit from the significant economic impact of the medical facility, which Graham Hospital Association intends to develop on the property. The city says potential benefits include redevelopment of an underutilized property, job creation, revenue creation, and increased medical services options and capacity within the community.
Bob Senneff, CEO and president of Graham Health, tells WGIL, “Creating the entrance (on Seminary) across from Mayo Drive not only opens our campus, but opens up potential development to the north to Burger King, and to the car wash and dental office off Carl Sandburg Drive.”
Economic leader: Second entrance will enhance development potential
City administration said there are sufficient funds available for the agreement in the Economic Development Fund.
“The intersection at Mayo Drive and North Seminary Street will provide an important point of ingress/egress, which will benefit Graham Health System and other future projects in the area,” said Ken Springer, president of Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development.
“This is a strongly-positioned development site and the second entrance will enhance the chances of seeing subsequent development happen in this area.”
Canton-based Graham Health System started construction last summer on a new $6 million, 13,672 square foot outpatient clinic on a portion of the 36 acres it acquired at 2300 N. Seminary St. In addition to the building currently under development at 2300 N. Seminary, Graham plans to construct two more facilities on the site — one to the north and one to the south.
New facilities will house primary care, multiple specialty practices and more
The new facilities will house primary care and multiple specialty practices, as well as laboratory, imaging and outpatient surgery services and endoscopy services.
Senneff said the initial phase of the project currently under construction is expected to be open to patients by Aug. 5.
Construction will start within the next few weeks on an 8,400 square foot addition to the north the building currently under development. That one would open in Spring 2025.
Graham will start construction of the third building on the far south end of the site — the 8,800 square foot ambulatory surgery building —would get underway in Spring 2025. It is projected to open late 2025.
“We just feel like with the demise of Cottage and the size of the Galesburg market, there’s a lot of need and opportunity for additional ambulatory services, primary care, convenient care, specialty care,” Senneff said.
“Whether that’s going to Peoria or the Quad Cities now, that’s why Graham is expanding in Galesburg — to help fill that void.”
Graham seeks developer for remainder of the land
Senneff said Graham is working to sell much of the remaining property it owns to the north and west of the current far North Seminary project to developers.
“We’re not developers, so we don’t want to be talking with restaurants about coming to town,” he said. “There’s also been some talk about some residential on the west side, but again, that would be up to the experts to fill up that space.”
