(12) Mayo Clinic Health System — Albert Lea and Austin completes $28-million expansion

Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin opened a $28-million, 85,600-square-foot expansion in phases in January and February, a space leaders said would benefit patients for years to come.

“This prepares Austin to move ahead and be the leader in healthcare moving forward,” CEO Dr. Mark Ciota said in January. “The space is designed so that we have more team-based care, which is how healthcare is moving nationally.”

The first phase opened Jan. 7 on the lower level — which includes rehabilitation services, orthopedics, podiatry and the pain clinic — and the first floor — which includes the eye center, retail pharmacy, the Mayo Clinic Store and Jazzman’s, a coffee shop. The second phase opened Jan. 14 on the third floor, which includes OB/GYN, family medicine and internal medicine. The final phase opened Jan. 21 on the second floor, including family medicine.

Operations Administrator Rod Nordeng said that while the project added significant square footage, it’s an easier space to navigate. Some estimates called for the expansion to add 70 new jobs, but Nordeng said 14 new positions have been hired thus far, with more support staff expected to be hired as new physicians come on board. An area in the muscular skeletal department was left unfinished for future planning, and a Mayo design team is starting a plan for finishing the space.