Health System celebrates groundbreaking of new speciality care facility

Penn’s world famous health system just got even better.

Medical professionals and leaders from Penn and the surrounding community gathered at 38th and Filbert streets yesterday evening to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Penn Center for Specialty Care.

The new facility, scheduled for completion in mid-2014, will provide West Philadelphia with new outpatient medical facilities, research labs and office space for growing companies.

The building is a collaboration between the UCSC and Wexford Science and Technology, a Science Center press release announced. Penn Medicine’s Presbyterian Medical Center will occupy 155,700 square feet of the 272,700-square-foot building.

“The specialty care building will add more than 150,000 square feet of outpatient surgical care space,” CEO and Executive Director of the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center Michele Volpe said. “It will also house 110 exam rooms, six operating rooms and an outpatient radiology center.”

With the new project, which will be located at 3737 Market Street, Penn Medicine and Penn Presbyterian will be able to spread their mission to provide exceptional health care.

“It expands out space which allows us to expand out services. We can bring more services right to the community,” Volpe said.

Another unique feature of the project is multidisciplinary care, which will allow patients to receive treatments in different disciplines without having to commute to various hospitals and medical facilities.

One of the multidisciplinary highlights is the Penn Musculoskeletal Institute, which will allow for collaboration between physicians and integrated one-stop care. Patients seeking musculoskeletal care — anything related to bones, joints and muscles — can look forward to a place where they can receive treatment in rheumatology, physical medicine, orthopedics, pain management and anesthesia.

The University City Science Center and Wexford Science and Technology will also house offices in the new building. Remaining space will go to local businesses.

“The innovative treatments pioneered by Penn Presbyterian are a natural fit for the culture of innovation at the Science Center,” President and CEO of UCSC Stephen Tang said. “We offer innovative programs to support startups in life science and working technologies.”

Leaders are looking to the Penn Center for Specialty Care to fuel the economy of Philadelphia.

“This investment is a catalyst for additional private investment and therefore expands greatly the potential for economic growth,” Wexford Science & Technology chairman James Berens said.

With new companies moving into the building, the community can look forward to more jobs in the area.

“These buildings will begin new companies that will grow and one day employ hundreds of Philadelphians,” the city’s Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Alan Greenberger said.

The physicians and other guests spent the evening celebrating the groundbreaking event with musical accompaniment from a violinist, hors d’oeuvres and remarks from community leaders.

Not only will the building be a positive force for the local community, Volpe said, but it will also have an undeniable impact on Penn students. “Right in your back door, you will have expanded services and it’s easy in, easy out,” she said.

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