When St. Cloud, MN-based CentraCare set out to expand its Plaza Campus, they wanted to create a welcoming environment that puts patient comfort first. As one of the health system’s flagship properties, the expansion is also a strategic investment to support CentraCare’s growth today and in the future.
This ambitious vision encompassed some 225,000 square feet of new construction across two new buildings, allowing the campus to grow outpatient surgery services, expand space and offer new treatment options for in-demand orthopedic and rehab services, and upgrade patient amenities throughout.
To bring this vision to life, CentraCare turned to McGough, which has been a key construction partner since 2007. With decades of healthcare construction experience, McGough was tasked with the challenge of delivering this major campus upgrade without disrupting the vital care happening right next door.
The project centered on two major additions to the campus:
- 165,000 SF Ambulatory Surgery Center: A state-of-the-art 3-story facility equipped with the latest surgical technology for outpatient procedures, with a separate entrance, covered patient drop-off, and parking is being built adjacent to the current ASC facility. The new ASC more than doubles the offerings of the current facility with five new operating rooms and one hybrid OR, 24 Pre/Post and Pacu rooms, a sterile processing department, and new patient amenities such as a medical spa, gift gallery, bistro and coffee shop. Level two is an orthopedics floor with 44 exam rooms, three x-ray rooms and three procedure rooms; and level 3 is a neurology floor with 31 exam rooms and 2 EMG rooms. A monument stair that connects 2nd and 3rd floors acts as a wayfinding beacon to the nearby highway and St. Cloud community.
- 60,000 SF Rehabilitation Building: This single-story building offers a dedicated space for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology, tripling the size of the previous space. PT/OT/SLP moved from the existing building to improve patient experience and access for patients with mobility issues. This new building features open layouts, individual treatment rooms, a hydrotherapy pool, quiet and active physical therapy gyms, large waiting areas for families and caregivers, a covered drop-off canopy with ample parking, and associated administrative support spaces. This new building offers patients and staff in the community state-of-the-art treatment offerings and options.
- Patient and Staff Focused Amenities: Included in these facilities are features designed with patient and staff comfort in mind, such as a medical spa, gift gallery, bistro and coffee shop, integrated calming views, easy-to-read wayfinding, and comfortable, light-filled waiting areas to reduce stress for patients and their families. Sustainability was top of mind with 8 EV charging stations in the parking lot and a solar array on the rehabilitation building’s roof.
Performing this kind of major construction with minimum disruption required carefully managing heavy construction traffic and complex utility tie-ins on a busy, active medical campus. To solve this, McGough used strict phased scheduling and held daily communication with CentraCare Facilities staff. This careful planning ensured that disruptions such as noise, vibration, dust and traffic didn’t interfere with ongoing patient care and that health protocols were maintained for patients, staff and visitors to the clinic.
Scheduled to open in the summer of 2026, the expanded CentraCare Plaza will improve patient flow and expand care capacity. By working closely with CentraCare from day one and drawing upon McGough’s extensive healthcare construction experience, we were able to create a space that will promote the health and well-being of the people of central Minnesota for years to come.
