Cedar Rapids medical district plans detailed

A new regional medical district is coming to Cedar Rapids. The city of Cedar Rapids, St. Luke's Hospital, Mercy Medical Center and Physicians Clinic of Iowa are all entering a cooperative venture.

Specifics of the plan were announced at a news conference today at PCI.

The Physicians Clinic of Iowa plans to consolidate five offices into a "medical mall", located on 10th Street SE in Cedar Rapids, running between the two hospitals, Mercy Medical Center and St. Luke's. There are a number of medical facilities in that area already, but this would be an effort to develop more, and hopefully attract patients from around the region.

"Anyone who lives within 90 minutes of Cedar Rapids has reason to want to have their medical treatment, especially their specials, to be done in Cedar Rapids," said Cedar Rapids Mayor Kay Halloran.

The plan to consolidate the five Physicians Clinic of Iowa offices is about a $40-million proposal. The plan is to make the preparations to start work sometime next year, perhaps opening by 2012 or 2013.

The PCI building would be the biggest new building along the district. The hope is that more new buildings would follow.

-- Dave Franzman, KCRG-TV9