Riverview Health paying taxes on Westfield property

As part of the arrangement for Riverview Health to construct a new facility on the northeast corner of U.S. 31 and State Road 32 in Westfield, the hospital will pay property taxes.

Mayor Andy Cook said the details have not been finalized, but the Hamilton County-owned hospital will be responsible for at least a partial tax bill.

“That was part of the criteria of locating in a very highly desirable area,” Cook said. “It’s a compromise between yes, we need a medical facility and they’re normally not taxed, but they also chose to be on a highly visible property.”

In 2015, Riverview paid about $300 in property taxes, although the land is currently vacant. The hospital intends to construct a $34 million six-story patient care center on the 8.6-acre property south of Westfield Intermediate School and to the west of Shamrock Boulevard where the old football/track stadium is located.

Riverview broke ground on the project Tuesday morning. It is expected to be completed by fall 2017.

The 105,000-square-foot building will include urgent care, primary and specialty physician services, an ambulatory surgical center, physical and occupational therapy, rehabilitation services, an outpatient pharmacy and laboratory and imaging services.

Riverview will add at least 80 jobs for the new facility.

Riverview Hospital, with 156 beds, is located on about 15 acres of land along State Road 32/38 in Noblesville.

“To have a health care facility be the first anchor of this highly important interchange is just very special,” Cook said. “It’s architecture is beautiful and it will really set the tone for this area.”

In addition to the patient care center, Cook said the city is expecting more development on the property.

In May 2014, Westfield Washington Schools sold the property to a group of local investors for $4 million. EdgeRock Development LLC, led by R. Birch Dalton and Randy Zentz, has been pursuing a project known as “The Junction”, which could eventually include restaurants, entertainment, offices, hotels and senior housing.

The potential $40 million “life wellness” development would also include the adjacent land to the east where the Westfield Washington School Administration building sits. The investors have had a $2 million option on the property for years.

Initial plans show six multi-story buildings on the land to west of Shamrock Boulevard and another three on the east side of the intersection.

Westfield Washington School Superintendent Mark Keen said the school board approved moving the administration offices to a building on Hoover Street just to the east of U.S. 31 at its meeting Tuesday night, so staff will vacate the building within the next few months. Once the building is empty, the school district will finalize the sale of the approximately 5-acre property.

“When the school administration decides to leave that building, which could happen soon, then that property also becomes available commercially,” Cook said.