Ripon hospital to move to business park

The City of Ripon and Ripon Medical Center have reached an agreement in principle on the sale of nearly 10 acres of land in the city's business park for the construction of a new multi-million-dollar medical center and clinic, according to Mayor Aaron Kramer.

Through a collaborative agreement among Ripon Medical Center executives and board members, the Ripon Community Development Corp. and the City of Ripon, Ripon Medical Center is set to purchase a 10-acre land parcel in the new business park, at the corner of Wisconsin 44 and Douglas Street

“Ripon has needed groups to work together toward specific goals,” said Joan Karsten, president of the Ripon Medical Center Board of Directors. “Everyone involved has played an important role and been extremely positive throughout the process.”

The decision to move the hospital from its location at 933 Newbury St. in Ripon rested on concerns surrounding the building’s dated infrastructure and extensive costs associated with remodeling the current facility. Ripon Medical Center feasibility studies also indicated that Ripon's community would support a new facility, adding credence to the project.

Ripon Medical Center’s new hospital will accommodate increased visitor parking, better community exposure, easier helicopter access and a more convenient location. The new facility will offer services identical to Ripon Medical Center’s current offerings, although clinic and specialty expansion are likely due as space considerations are no longer a limiting factor.

Kramer believes that the new Ripon Medical Center facility will be a great addition to an already thriving community. “I think that Ripon needs certain fundamental elements in place to make it a better place to live and work, and healthcare is one of them,” he said. “Ripon Medical Center’s new facility plans just solidify one of the key components of making Ripon a great place to live and raise a family.”

A verbal agreement between Ripon Medical Center and the City of Ripon has been completed and remaining legal implications are being finalized. Final approval from all parties and purchasing terms are expected within the next 30 to 60 days.

“I am amazed that we were able to put together a proposal and vision for the future that is a win–win for all parties involved,” said Kramer. “I can’t think of a more appropriate way to put a candle on the City of Ripon's 150th anniversary within the community. It is truly a watershed event.”

The Ripon Medical Center Board of Directors has given unanimous consensus toward approval, with the final Board approval vote set for Tuesday, May 27. Funding for the new facility will consist of a capital campaign headed by the Foundation for Ripon Medical Center and City of Ripon financing support. The building of this new facility will have no tax impact on the Ripon community.

Although there are no decided estimates of when Ripon Medical Center will break ground at Kohl Business Park, planning members project a date of May 2009. When the new facility is complete, Ripon Medical Center’s previous building, owned by the City of Ripon, will likely be taken down and turned into residential lots, according to Kramer.

Kramer says the new hospital “will send a clear message to anyone outside Ripon that things are happening here and we have the people and the leadership in place to help move dreams into reality.”