New Banner medical facility approved

Article originally posted on HERE on October 2, 2024

With dense plans flying in North Scottsdale, one almost needs the microscopic level of detail offered by French writer Alain Robbe-Grillet to slow things down and dissect them.

Trained as a statistician and agronomist, Robbe-Grillet was fascinated by “the ties that exist between objects, gestures and situations.”

All three are in play south of the Loop 101 at Hayden Road. One or two objects are becoming clear.

In the wake of Dutch company ASM’s complicated development agreement with the city, an even more existential situation – a “live-in campus” – posed by Axon simmers.

While Axon has yet to gesture it is ready to bring back its twice-bashed (by airport and planning boards) scheme, Banner Health is charging ahead on its profound plans for North Scottsdale’s booming Loop 101/Hayden Road area.

The easy part, first:

On Sept. 19, the Scottsdale Development Review Board unanimously approved Banner’s plan for a three-story medical office building.

It is to be built on 11 acres near Hayden Road and Mayo Boulevard, just south of the Loop 101.

Banner’s land, like acres to its east and west that are also slated for development, is currently occupied only by cacti, scrubby bushes, rabbits and other desert dwellers.

What has been dubbed Banner Health Center Plus is the more modest part of a “medical campus” plan for the 48-acre site.

According to a Banner press release, it plans a $400 million, multifaceted project on the south side of the Loop 101.

Still to come: a hospital. That, however, requires rezoning, with rival HonorHealth putting up a public relations and legal fight.

“The Health Center Plus is happening first because it doesn’t require a zoning change,” David Leibowitz, a Banner spokesman, said. “Our hope would be to have it built by the end of 2025. At full build-out, it will employ about 220 people.”

The first stage of construction also will feature a Banner Urgent Care, for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries such as cold and flu; ear, eye and throat infections; fevers; skin rashes; and sprains, strains and lacerations.

Banner Scottsdale Medical Center, the second phase, could be presented to the Scottsdale Planning Commission and City Council this fall – though Leibowitz said there is no timeline for the second phase.

Ditto for the third, biggest phase, though Banner has applied for a “special campus” (SC) rezoning that would allow a hospital.

State-of-the-art

The Banner Health Center Plus application promises “a state-of-the-art outpatient medical office and services facility.”

The building will add “exciting specialties such as a Banner MD Anderson oncology program, ambulatory surgery, outpatient imaging, primary and specialty care, and related uses.

“The Banner Health Center Plus will serve as a new community healthcare resource for the benefit of the existing and growing population of North Scottsdale and greater North Phoenix.”

As the application notes, this is an extraordinarily busy area for development.

“Notable uses in the surrounding area include the Nationwide/ Cavasson campus to the north across State Route 101, the planned ASM campus and the under construction Optima McDowell Mountain condominiums to the west, and the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess and the TPC Stadium golf course to the southwest.”

Where will patients park?

“Banner is providing 4.43 parking spaces per 1,000 square-feet of building area, resulting in a total of 529 parking spaces,” according to the application.

The plan, Robbe-Grillet might say, is “so clear it becomes almost immaterial.”