For Hub City Times

EAU CLAIRE — Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) has submitted to the city of Eau Claire a site plan for a new, 44-bed hospital, which will be built just south of MCHS’ Eau Claire Center on West Clairemont Avenue. The Eau Claire Plan Commission is expected to review the hospital site plan in the coming weeks, and construction is anticipated to start shortly after approval.

The new hospital, which will have attached cancer care, is the cornerstone of MCHS’ “Caring for the Chippewa Valley” initiative to create an integrated local health care system able to maximize efficiencies and make high quality care more affordable for area patients.

The Eau Claire Plan Commission approved the site plan for the cancer center building in October. The hospital and cancer center are already permitted uses for the property under current zoning ordinances. The Plan Commission will review the hospital site plan to ensure it satisfies the review criteria set forth in the ordinance.

The hospital will be built at 1202 W. Clairemont Ave., current site of the Plaza Hotel & Suites. MCHS has purchased the real estate, and the hotel business ceased operations in October. The Plaza will be demolished as part of the project. The cancer center is tentatively set to open in 2017 and the hospital in 2018.