Dignity Health buys land for emergency-care center, hospital

Dignity Health, formerly Catholic Healthcare West, has purchased 18.56 acres of land for more than $2 million at the northeast corner of John Wayne Parkway and Smith-Enke Road with plans to build an emergency-care facility and, eventually, a hospital, Arizona Commercial Advisors announced Tuesday.

Mayor Christian Price said he is excited about what the future medical facility means for Maricopa residents.

“At the end of the day, I think the people are the winners,” Price said. “Any services we can bring in are good for Maricopa.”

Price also said it was a good opportunity for the city’s young, well-educated populace to work locally.

“It’s no secret that the biomedical, biotechnical fields offer high-paying jobs,” Price said. The facility could “help keep jobs in Maricopa, keep people off the roads so they can see their kids at night and keep people in the city.”

The positive economic impact of the health-care center will be felt long before it opens, said Micah Miranda, director of economic development for the city.

“The scope of the project will be such that it will cause a ripple effect on the local economy in terms of its impact on the construction industry,” Miranda said.

More than just another health-care option for residents, Miranda said the Dignity Health project “represents the beginning of a new economic cycle in Maricopa.”

Jim Rives, president of the Maricopa Economic Development Alliance, said the future hospital would contribute to Maricopa’s independence.

“It’s evidence of our growing offers that Maricopa has for potential businesses and residences,” Rives said. “When companies like Dignity come here that helps us to be self-sustaining for our workforce.”

The property was purchased from Vintage Properties for $2,072,181.83 in a sale brokered by Patti Gentry of Arizona Commercial Advisors and Mike Sayre and Larry Downey of Cushman & Wakefield representing Dignity Health.