Sarasota Memorial to build new hospital in Venice
Published: Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 3:18 p.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 3:18 p.m.
Sarasota Memorial Hospital plans to build a new hospital in Venice, ending speculation about whether the large public hospital would continue pursuing efforts to purchase the struggling Venice Regional Bayfront Health.
The new hospital will likely be located at 2600 Laurel Road, just east of the Laurel Road exit off Interstate 75, at the intersection of Laurel Road and Pinebrook Road.
The 65-acre parcel was purchased by the hospital system in 2005 for $25 million, according to records filed with the Sarasota County Property Appraiser.
Initially, the parcel was supposed to hold a large primary care and outpatient center, but the plans never materialized. It will likely be months before a groundbreaking for a new hospital would occur, as the hospital's application to the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration works its way through the regulatory process.
In a full-page ad published in the Sarasota Herald Tribune and the Venice Gondolier Sun on Saturday, Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder announced plans to build in Venice and confirmed that the hospital system had tried to purchase Venice Regional in September. The hospital leadership had previously declined to comment on the rumors.
"We are unaware of an application filed by Sarasota Memorial to build a hospital in Venice," said Venice Regional spokesman Bob Hite.
Since Venice Regional was purchased in 2014 by its current parent company, the Tennesee-based Community Health Systems, the company has invested more than $21 million in medical technology, equipment and infrastructure improvements at the hospital. After the sewage leak in May, CHS sent $4.3 million for immediate building repairs.
"For more than 65 years, Venice Regional has served the health care needs of this community and we are committed to doing so for years to come," Hite said.
Building a hospital in the southern portion of Sarasota County had always been in the long-range plan for Sarasota Memorial, but the plans were sped up after community outcry this summer over conditions at Venice Regional.
In late June, state inspectors revealed that a large scale sewage leak at the hospital in late May was not properly cleaned up and rats were living in the ceilings above the kitchen. Then-CEO Peter Wozniak resigned rather than face a no-confidence vote from the medical staff, and the hospital's parent company, Community Health Systems, installed interim leadership at the hospital.
Throughout the summer, Venice doctors began advertising their privileges at other hospitals as patients refused to go to Venice for elective surgeries. Many Venice doctors obtained privileges at other hospitals, including Doctors Hospital and Sarasota Memorial.
“We have had an influx of concerned community members this summer, asking us to please come into Venice, that it's not a good situation for people in South County right now,” said Dr. Marguerite Malone, chairwoman of the Sarasota County Public Hospital District.
“They really hoped we'd do something to make sure the quality of health care was improved in the area,” Malone said.
The hospital system is expanding its reach throughout the community with a recent spate of land purchases.
In 2015 alone, the hospital has purchased property on St. Armands Circle to build a new urgent care center, made a bid to purchase property at the intersection of State Road 70 and Lorraine Road on the north end of Lakewood Ranch for a primary care medical office and swapped land for a parcel at the intersection of U.S. 41 and West Villages Parkway in North Port for an urgent care center or medical offices.
While the public hospital district is growing, its move into Venice is likely to cause some turmoil. When Sarasota Memorial began planning to build on the Laurel Road site back in 2012, Venice Regional officials filed appeals to the city of Venice for planning issues.
Similarly, when Sarasota Memorial began pursuing its now-built urgent care center at U.S. 41 Bypass and Tamiami Trail, Venice Regional again appealed to the Venice Planning Council, and Sarasota Memorial faced protests from area doctors who didn't want the hospital coming into Venice.
In both instances, however, the Venice City Council approved Sarasota Memorial's plans.
Reached Saturday, officials from Venice Regional say they didn't know about Sarasota Memorial's plans.
Sarasota Memorial Hospital will celebrate its 90th anniversary Monday.
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