Flagship Healthcare Properties Delivers New Surgery Center

By Eric Althoff

GRANITE FALLS, N.C.—Charlotte-based Flagship Healthcare Properties announced the completion and delivery this month of a 20,995-square-foot ambulatory surgery center (ASC) at RiverCrest Medical Park, located at 180 Riverbend Drive in Granite Falls.  Flagship Healthcare Properties, based in Charlotte, began work on the ASC in July 2018 for client Prime Surgical Suites, an affiliate of Caldwell UNC Healthcare.

Prime Surgical Suites focuses its efforts on orthopedic procedures that include working to assist their patients in the mobility of joints, spine-related problems, foot and ankle procedures, as well as assisting patients who have suffered various sports-related surgeries.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 4 to open the new facility was attended by Prime Surgical Center physicians and staff, Caldwell UNC Healthcare executives, as well as Flagship CEO Charles Campbell and Property Manager Kristen Reese.

Thorn Baccich, vice president of development at Flagship Healthcare Properties, thanked contractor Keach Construction and architect Clark Paterson Lee at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for their efforts on the project.  

“It has been a pleasure working with representatives from Prime Surgical Suites and Caldwell UNC Healthcare to bring this project to life” as well, Baccich said.  “We are proud to have played an important role in delivering a state-of-the-art healthcare facility that will benefit residents of Caldwell County [and] we look forward to the next opportunity to help our health system and provider clients improve care within the populations they serve.”

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, honored guests were invited to tour the interior of the ASC, which included a demonstration of the state-of-the-art NAVIO Surgical System for robotic-assisted total knee replacement. 

The ASC has opened its doors with three operating rooms and one procedure room at the ready and has enough space to eventually accommodate four operating rooms total. 

“We are excited to be the first orthopedic ambulatory surgery center in the region, and to be able to provide needed services to our community to live healthy lifestyles,” Teresa Burwell, director of Prime Surgical Suites, said as part of the festivities. “Flagship has been an excellent development partner through every step of the process.”

Construction on the new ASC, located adjacent to the existing RiverCrest medical office building, began in July 2018.  Atlantic Union Bank providing financial backing for the work, which took 14 months.

The building will be owned by Flagship Healthcare Trust, Inc., the company that acts as Flagship’s private real estate investment trust.  Flagship will also provide property and asset management services for the facility after delivery. 

Flagship Healthcare Properties manages over 3.9 million square feet of healthcare real estate across 150 properties servicing nearly 500 tenants.  Flagship’s portfolio of properties it has acquired and/or developed is valued at over $600 million, and its Healthcare Trust holds a $350 million interest in over 40 healthcare properties around the nation.