Saint Francis Health & Wellness Center’s Fitness Plus is a state-of-the-art facility offering services that fit everyone’s unique health profiles and wellness goals. The newly created facility supports the programs and services of a successful medical fitness center and is on-campus with the hospital, conveniently linked to the main building but with a separate retail frontage and club-like atmosphere. Medical Center staff, physicians, and administrators worked closely with project architects to optimize the center’s friendly, welcoming design while maintaining functional relationships. The operational and financial success of Fitness Plus is the result of thorough and accurate demographic research, membership/clinical service planning, innovative architectural design, and a highly trained professional staff.

Fitness Plus is a medically integrated fitness center that complements a number of clinical services, including cardiac rehabilitation (Phases II/III), physical therapy/sports medicine, occupational therapy, speech therapy, biometrics (weight management), wellness services, a diabetes center, and physician offices. The center represents a national model designed to positively impact the health of the community, including children. A special area called “Kids Plus” was developed to offer family-oriented fitness activities and programs that embrace regular physical activity as part of a child’s foundation for a long, healthy life.

Project category: New construction (completed September 2004)

Chief administrator: Doug Friese, Manager, Fitness & Wellness – Universal Health & Fitness, (573) 331-5301

Firm: Ohlson Lavoie Collaborative (OLC), (303) 294-9244

Design team: Dan R. Potter, Project Manager (Ohlson Lavoie Collaborative [OLC]); Rodger Young, Structural Engineer (Kirk & Young Structural Engineers, LLC); Michael Ballard, Mechanical Engineer (The Ballard Group, Inc.); Chris Mellinger, Electrical Engineer (IES); Chris Bverck, Civil Engineer (Bowen Engineering & Surveying); Mark Vogel, General Contactor/Project Manager (Kiefner Brothers, Inc.)

Photography: ©2006 Sam Fentress

Total building area (sq. ft.): 72,600

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $138

Total construction cost (excluding land): $10,000,000