Saint Vincent Hospital to build new cancer center in downtown Worcester

Apr 22 2011

Saint Vincent Hospital today announced it has signed a purchase and sale agreement with the CitySquare II Development Co. LLC , to build a medical office building that will house a new comprehensive cancer center in Worcester's CitySquare development. The new center, which represents a $21 million capital investment by Saint Vincent Hospital, is expected to open in January 2013. It will offer ambulatory medical oncology in addition to radiation oncology services the hospital currently offers at its Center for Cancer Services located at Vernon Hill in Worcester.

“The center will create more good jobs, bring more people downtown, and add to the city's reputation for offering quality healthcare. Saint Vincent Hospital's decision also reflects the inherent value of the site and the long-term potential for the project.”

"We are delighted to partner with the City of Worcester and CitySquare II in this exciting development in downtown Worcester," said Joe Mullany, President, Vanguard Health Systems, New England Market. "This new cancer center will allow us to provide our patients and community with one-stop access to affordable, high-quality, comprehensive cancer care right here in Central Massachusetts."

The 40,000 square foot, 2 story building will house the Hospital's comprehensive advanced cancer care services including radiation therapy, medical oncology and chemotherapy, cancer imaging and other cancer services. Saint Vincent Hospital currently serves over 1,300 cancer patients a year from Worcester and Central Massachusetts.

"This is tremendous news for the CitySquare development project and for Downtown Worcester," said City Manager Michael V. O'Brien. "It speaks to Saint Vincent Hospital's long-standing commitment to our community and to their confidence in the long-term success of our Downtown."

CitySquare is expected to attract a complementary mix of commercial, residential, entertainment and retail development, creating more, economically vital activity downtown and serving as a catalyst for additional development. Opus Investment Management, a subsidiary of The Hanover Insurance Group, is the primary investor in CitySquare II. Leggat McCall Properties, Boston, is the project's developer. The City of Worcester is the public partner in the project, leveraging nearly $100 million in financing from city, State and Federal government.

"With partners like Saint Vincent Hospital and others, our vision for the CitySquare project and all of downtown Worcester continues to materialize," said Frederick H. Eppinger, chief executive officer of The Hanover. "We are very pleased with Saint Vincent Hospital's decision to build its cancer center at CitySquare, especially now," Eppinger said. "The center will create more good jobs, bring more people downtown, and add to the city's reputation for offering quality healthcare. Saint Vincent Hospital's decision also reflects the inherent value of the site and the long-term potential for the project."

"Saint Vincent Hospital's decision to put a premier cancer center Downtown shows our patience with CitySquare is starting to pay off," said City Councilor Rick Rushton, Chair of the City Council's Standing Committee on Economic Development. "I look forward to a thorough review of this project in the Economic Development Committee. This is a second major building block in the revitalization of our downtown and we anticipate that this private investment by Saint Vincent Hospital will incentivize additional development."

"The objective for this new facility is to consolidate all outpatient-based cancer services under one roof and to provide patients a seamless, comprehensive and healing environment to receive cancer care," said Enzo Centofanti, Executive Director for Cancer Services at Saint Vincent Hospital. "The new center will provide specialty care such as Lung and Breast Cancer Clinics which are provided in collaboration with Fallon Clinic and community cancer specialist. It will also provide supportive and survivorship programs for those living and coping with cancer through the Oncology Bridge to Wellness Program which is centered on providing psycho/social services, physical therapy, nutrition and complementary therapies to patients and family members."