New pediatric building planned in West County

Shown is a rendering of the planned St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Washington University Physicians medical office building and outpatient center in west St. Louis County.

St. Louis County families soon will have improved, convenient access to top-notch health-care services for their children with a St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Washington University Physicians medical office building in west St. Louis County.

The Town and Country Board of Aldermen on Jan. 27 approved a proposal by BJC HealthCare to build a pediatric medical office building and outpatient center at Mason Road and Highway 40/Interstate 64.

The three-story, 141,000-square-foot facility will offer pediatric outpatient services including same-day surgery and a wide range of Washington University pediatric specialty physician offices.

The facility will operate much like a typical medical office building, with access to radiology, lab, audiology, psychology, therapy and other services.

The child-centered site, on 15.8 acres formerly used by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, also will offer family and community resources, such as help checking car seats and fitting bike helmets.

The team behind the idea for the facility worked with residents, neighbors and city officials to develop a plan that will accommodate anticipated traffic patterns. In doing so, the size of the development was reduced, and plans for a parking garage were scrapped in favor of surface parking.

Construction is expected to begin this spring. The project is expected to be completed sometime in summer 2015.