South Baldwin Regional Medical Center announced last week they are moving ahead to finalize design work for a $186 million project to expand and modernize the hospital after receiving certificate of need approval from the Alabama State Health Planning and Development Agency.
Plans include the addition of a 133,433-square-foot, four-story patient tower with a new surgical department on the first floor with a new dedicated outpatient entrance.
The tower’s second and third floors will contain nursing units, including a new, larger intensive care unit.
The future fourth-floor shell space can be built out to increase the bed count based on community need.
The construction project is reportedly the largest ever undertaken at the hospital. Work on the design, pricing and planning is expected to take most of this year, with site work and renovation starting by the end of 2021.
“Our patients count on us for quality, medical services close to home,” Tim Frerichs, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and chief of surgery for the hospital, said. “With the updates to the facility and increased surgical care areas, we expect to provide even more types of surgery here in the community when the expansion is complete.”
The goal for the expansion and renovation is to improve and enhance facilities for better patient care. Redesign plans will include a new entryway, main lobby and improved access to upgraded patient care areas. The exterior facade and finishes throughout the hospital will also be upgraded to reflect the CMS 5-star care rating the medical center currently holds.
The heavily scrutinized metric is compiled by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website (cms.gov) and features a qualitative system that gives Medicare beneficiaries a ranking ranging from 1 star (lowest) to 5 stars (highest). Medical facilities with 5 stars are considered to have superior quality while facilities in the lowest tier are considered to offer subpar resources and quality at best.
“With today’s approval from the State Health Planning and Development Agency, we can move forward with this project to enhance the patient experience and support our caregivers in their work to provide compassionate, quality care,” Eric Roach, South Baldwin Regional Medical Center CEO, said.
“We extend our sincere appreciation for the support of our South Baldwin Regional Board of Trustees, medical staff members, community mayors, city councils and citizens throughout our service area. Access to quality health care is critical to the success of our region’s economic development. We appreciate the ongoing support we receive from the South Baldwin Healthcare Authority.”
SEAGRASS VILLAGE OF DAPHNE SENIOR HOME COMING TO BALDWIN
Panama City Beach, Flordia-based senior housing builder Sage Development Group, recently announced the approval of a new senior living development — Seagrass Village of Daphne — to be built in Baldwin County along U.S. Highway 98 at 7293 Dale Road.
Expectations for the site are to break ground in the second quarter of 2021 with a grand opening scheduled in mid-2022. The property, situated between the Spanish Fort, Fairhope and Mobile Bay regions, will encompass a total of 135 units: 45 independent living apartments, 45 two- and three-bedroom cottages and 45 assisted living options in a resort-style environment.
“Sage Development Group develops senior living properties in communities throughout Florida and Alabama. This project represents the fifth Seagrass Village senior housing development for our company,” Chase Patel, president of Sage Development Group, said.
“Within close proximity to major retail and medical providers, the accessibility of this site to the entire region, coupled with the offering of a substantially larger, more modern living option than competitive area communities provide, Seagrass Village of Daphne is targeted for families and residents in the region.”
Buildout plans for the property include a wellness center, bistro and pub, private dining room, outdoor dining and a salon and spa. Food services will also be developed in conjunction with onsite health and wellness professionals and will include concierge services for residents.
Established in 2005, Sage Development Group is a family-owned business that operates as owner, operator and manager of independent living, assisted living and memory care communities covering Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Virginia.
OLD MAJESTIC LAUNCHES CROWDFUNDING EXPANSION CAMPAIGN
According to a press release, Chad Marchand and John Milton, the owners of Old Majestic Brewing Company located at 656 St. Louis Street in downtown Mobile’s nascent Central Business District, have launched a Mainvest crowdfunding campaign to raise capital to help expand their Old Majestic label.
Capital targeted by the duo from the fundraising drive is $50,000. Future use of monies raised by local investors will be used to buy canning equipment and improve distribution capabilities, allowing distribution of their locally sourced beers.
The effort was initiated in response to the rigors of an unfriendly COVID-19 small business environment that has clamped down especially hard on the local service industry, according to them.
As typical of most crowdsourcing initiatives, Mainvest is incentivizing potential investors with a financial “carrot” to part with their hard-earned cash for Old Majestic’s five-figure goal, versus asking for charitable contributions that are the core of most Kickstarter and GoFundMe campaigns.
The Mainvest website states, “If you invest $100, the business agrees to share a portion of their revenue until you have been repaid $170. They will owe you this amount by 1/1/2027, regardless of revenue.”
In essence, a 70 percent return on investment (ROI) is promised after six years for those who put in at least $100 toward the campaign, basically inviting speculators to make an informed risk/reward decision about Old Majestic’s future success.
As noted on the disclosure page, because payments are based on the company’s revenue, which is unknowable, it is virtually impossible to predict how much an investor will receive and when.
Additionally, if the company fails to generate enough revenue, some or all of the money invested could be lost.
As of press time, $11,800 has been sunk into the campaign with 36 days left on the offering. More information about the campaign — including future business disclosures — can be found at mainvest.com/b/old-majestic-brewing-co-mobile.
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