Lawrence hospital buys prime development land

LMH's purchase of 21 acres in Eudora expected to serve expanding Kansas Highway 10 corridor

Lawrence Memorial Hospital officials announced Friday that they’re buying 21 acres of prime development land along Kansas Highway 10 in Eudora to boost the hospital’s position as a regional health care provider.

Gene Meyer, LMH president and CEO, said near-term plans for the property at the southeast corner of K-10 and Church Street included a medical office building that would house LMH-affiliated physicians.

But Meyer said the 21-acre site could grow into a much larger medical complex that would serve the growing K-10 corridor and attract patients from western Johnson County.

“We have left our options open by buying 21 acres,” said Meyer, who said pharmacy, physical therapy and radiology services were all possible near-term uses for the site. “Hopefully there will be quite a bit of complementary development that can happen there. It is an exciting day for us. This should send the message to everyone that LMH is truly a regional provider.”

That’s a message the hospital believes is an important one to send because St. Luke’s Health Center, Olathe Medical Center and Shawnee Mission Medical Center all have bought property in western Johnson County along the K-10 corridor. Meyer said LMH didn’t want to lose any of its Douglas County patients to Kansas City-area hospitals.

“I guess you could say we’re staking our claim to that important area,” Meyer said.

Eudora Mayor Tom Pyle said he was thrilled LMH had decided to draw its line in the sand at Eudora. He envisions the center will grow to include space for dentists, eye doctors and other health care professionals.

“There are a few things in life that are milestones, and I think this is probably one of them for our community,” said Pyle, who expects the new health care options to help the city of about 5,000 people attract both new residential and commercial development.

LMH currently has a presence in the city through its ownership interest in Eudora Family Care, which is staffed by Dr. Daniel Dickerson and two nurse practitioners.

Dickerson said the new facility should allow the office to begin offering X-ray services and more therapy services. He said he was also hopeful the growth of the city would allow for an after-hours acute care center that could treat minor emergencies, though Meyer said that wasn’t a certainty.

“It is basically at least 20 minutes to any hospital from here, so I think that would really allow us to serve the community better,” Dickerson said.

Meyer said construction at the site could begin in late 2006 or early 2007. But first hospital officials plan to take the next six months to do a detailed study of the site and develop a master plan for the property.

LMH board members approved an agreement to buy the land at a special meeting Friday. The agreement is contingent upon a six-month due diligence process that allows the hospital to confirm issues related to land use, zoning and engineering. The board agreed to pay $900,000 for the property, which is currently owned by Carl and Norma Kurtz and is occupied by a farmhouse and outbuildings.