Tennessee Breaks Ground on Ambulatory Surgery Center

By Eric Althoff

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.Nashville-based healthcare real estate development firm Oman-Gibson Associates (OGA) has broken ground on a new ambulatory surgery center (ASC) and medical office building (MOB) in the city of Murfreesboro, located 30 miles southeast of Tennessee’s capital city. OGA is developing the ASC in concert with United Surgical Partners International (USPI), whose home offices are in Dallas.

The healthcare construction project, which will be sited adjacent to the existing Ascension/St. Thomas medical facility, will entail nearly 30,000 square feet of medical use space. Over 14,000 square feet alone will be set aside for the ASC itself. The ASC will host a procedure room and two operating rooms, and space for future expansion is included. The remaining square footage at the new facility will be utilized primarily for office space.

The facility will be located at 2755 New Salem Highway in Murfreesboro. Working with OGA on the design and execution of the construction of the project are architect Environments for Healthcare Architecture and general contractor Batten & Shaw.

OGA has previously constructed other healthcare projects in various areas of Middle Tennessee, including Brentwood, Gallatin and Hendersonville. And in Nashville itself, the firm has also redesigned a former bowling alley to be used as a dialysis center. It’s all part of the company’s plan to increase healthcare availability to residents of this part of the Volunteer State.

“OGA is happy to continue partnering with USPI on projects that bring more medical facilities to the Middle Tennessee region and nationwide,” Sam Sarbacker, a vice president with OGA, said in a statement emailed to HCO News.

In another recent statement, OGA Chief Executive Officer Bond Oman echoed Sarbacker’s enthusiasm for working with USPI on healthcare construction projects.

“Aside from creating a modern environment that allows our partners to deliver outstanding care to their patients, this facility adds to the quality of the community by providing an outpatient center a short distance from home,” Oman said.

The projected completion date for construction of the new facility is next June.

On its website, USPI says that it is the country’s largest “ambulatory surgery platform.” The company employs nearly 20,000 people. In the Nashville area alone, the healthcare operator boasts to its portfolio the Baptist Ambulatory Surgery Center, the Eye Surgery Center of Nashville, Nashville EndoSurgery Center, Saint Thomas Surgicare, St. Thomas Hospital for Specialty Surgery and St. Thomas Surgery Center – Midtown.

Meanwhile, OGA helps clients with project management, development and consultations on leasing arrangements. In the healthcare sector alone, the business has accomplished $100 million of an annual development, entailing 500 sites in over 35 states.