Build Me Up: Reshaping Communities Through Adaptive Reuse
As the retail landscape continues to shift and big box stores are permanently closing their doors, these abandoned, large-scale retail facilities are left empty. Adaptive reuse has become a popular solution. Rather than demolishing the building, they are being repurposed to fit community needs.
Gundersen Health System’s new clinic in Winona, Minnesota, was converted from an old Kmart building that had been sitting abandoned for years. Designed by HSR Associates, the 86,000-square-foot clinic includes primary care, urgent care, infusion services, retail pharmacy, lab, imaging services, and an outpatient surgery center. The repurposed facility is bringing much-needed healthcare access to the Winona community.
But converting a retail space into a healthcare clinic came with its own unique set of challenges. On the latest episode of KA’s Build Me Up podcast, Gundersen Health System’s Bridgett Sanford and Chuck Johnson, along with HSR Associates Director Kyle Schauf and KA Project Manager Eric Pedersen, discuss the Gundersen Winona project and the pros and cons of adaptive reuse.
About Gundersen Health System
Gundersen Health System is a multi-specialty healthcare provider with a presence in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. Faced with the challenge of making healthcare more accessible, convenient and affordable for patients, they began discussing the best approach to a new clinic in the Winona community. Each year, thousands of patients were driving 30-45 miles from Winona just to receive care at a Gundersen clinic, and the organization was committed to bringing that care closer to home.
Bridgett, Chuck and their team began scouting locations in Winona that would best serve their patient population. They considered several options, including empty sites that would allow them to build a new facility, but they kept returning to adaptive reuse. The abandoned Kmart building in Winona was sitting empty on an accessible site right off the highway and provided a great opportunity to enhance the community. So the project team committed to the sustainable approach of adaptive reuse – although not without challenges.
From Retail to Healthcare
Converting a big box store into a fully functioning healthcare facility is an incredibly complex undertaking. These retail facilities are typically windowless with high ceilings and no room separation, which all present challenges for healthcare. Kyle and the design team worked to make the space feel more warm, welcoming, and well-lit for patients entering the facility by adding exterior windows and a clerestory feature that provides wayfinding and serves as a central focal point for the building.
Kraus-Anderson’s team worked closely with HSR to address the structural issues of the existing building, which were designed to the lower limits of code. Additional structure was required to hang light fixtures and medical equipment, which required creative problem solving to stay mindful of the project’s budget. With the existing HVAC systems designed for a wide-open space, a lot of redesigning needed to be done to accommodate for a healthcare space with patient rooms, offices, and more enclosed spaces. The original KMart building was constructed on swamp land, which led to challenging soil conditions throughout the project.
While adaptive reuse can be a sustainable way to revitalize a community, Eric and Kyle agree that its critical to be mindful of your budget and schedule and to do your research on the existing facility. Adaptive reuse may not always be the best solution, but the project team is proud of the challenges overcome to bring much-needed healthcare access to the Winona community. To hear more about the Gundersen Health System’s Winona campus and learn more about adaptive reuse, tune in to the latest episode of the Build Me Up podcast. You can subscribe to Build Me Up wherever you listen to podcasts.
View Comments