Mayor: Family Healthcare Center moving forward; city overseeing building removal and soil testing

Mayor Matt Zacker told WFHR listeners that the proposed Family Healthcare Center near the Riverview Expressway is "moving along nicely" and that city officials have worked with the developer through planning adjustments.

The project, described in the interview as a 24,000-square-foot walk-in clinic operated by Marshfield Family Health, will supplement local access to outpatient care. Zacker said the site currently contains concrete, fences and remnants of previous industrial use and that the city cannot disturb underlying soil until required testing is complete.

"We just have to make sure that any contaminants in the soil are taken care of properly and that's because we're a government entity and we got grants from the state and the feds in order to make sure that that's done right," Zacker said, describing multi-level oversight and grant conditions that affect timing.

He said once testing and remediation clearances are achieved, the city can remove concrete, recycle or grind material as appropriate and move forward with construction. Zacker called the project "well needed" and said it should help rejuvenate an area that has struggled since earlier development changes.

No construction or opening timeline was specified during the interview, and the mayor did not provide a budget figure or a firm completion date. He said the developer and city remain in the planning and permitting stages and thanked the project's investors for their commitment to the community.

The mayor also noted the adjoining foundry project is nearing final approvals and will begin work pending a few remaining details.