CentraCare Propels Forward as St. Cloud Planning Commission Greenlights Expansion Plan for Plaza Campus

(KNSI) — The St. Cloud Planning Commission unanimously approved a proposal from CentraCare to add three buildings at its plaza campus.

Vice President, Facilities Management David Larson spoke with KNSI News after the vote, saying it was a new era for the complex.

“To develop a 128-acre campus into a medical mall of specialties was a huge deal for the community, it was a huge bet for CentraCare and our future. And this just simply establishes that not only was that successful, but we’re continuing to invest in that success for the next generations to enjoy.”

CentraCare will start with an apartment complex for med school students and other professionals, 97 units in Phase One and possibly 33 more later. Larson says the organization is planning for students from all types of backgrounds.

“Whether they’re coming right out of undergraduate, right into medical school, or whether they’ve had a delay or a change in plans and they’re coming back later, we want a product in that housing that supports all of those levels of folks. So, from a studio apartment to even having options for three bedroom apartments, so that if someone maybe has a family already.”

The apartments will be connected to the medical school, which is set to be housed in the former administration building. The initial class will start their studies in fall 2025.

Also planned are a new 170,000 square foot ambulatory surgery center and 60,000 square foot rehabilitation therapy building. Larson says both were in the works pre-pandemic, but COVID shifted their development back a bit. He expects they will be opening in about two and a half years.

The idea will now go before the city council at a future public hearing.

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