Clinic plans get final OK

New Cleveland Clinic hospital currently expected to open in 2023

The Mentor Planning Commission, at its Aug. 19 meeting, unanimously approved the final site plans for construction of a new three-story Cleveland Clinic hospital, located at 8300 Norton Parkway.

The 95,232-square-foot modern medical complex will include a full emergency department, helipad, family medical clinic, surgery areas, 34 patient rooms, a pharmacy and labs. It is currently expected to open in 2023.

The Cleveland Clinic project was last before the commission on June 17, where preliminary site plans were also unanimously approved, following some requests for screening of the helipad to help limit views of the landing area and improved signage so visitors and patients will know which entrances to use.

The helipad will be 50-by-50 feet and situated 105 feet from Center Street.

“The administration and even members of our council have had an opportunity to visit several of their sites and they have consistently placed a high value on aesthetics at all of their facilities. We like this design and have every confidence that it’ll be just as high quality as their other locations.” — Mentor City Manager Kenneth Filipiak

According to a city staff report on the project, visitors, patients and hospital staff will be using an access drive off Norton Parkway, while the other access drive from Center Street will be reserved for use by emergency and authorized vehicles only, so ambulances will have direct access to the emergency room.

David Berlekamp, an architect for the Cleveland Clinic, told the commission that they took city officials’ comments into account and have made some adjustments to both screen the helipad and service buildings with landscaping, and problemsolve issues related to the EMS driveway.

“As discussed previously, we have provided landscape screening as well as signage to direct the general public not to proceed through there (EMS drive),” Berlekamp said. “So, that would be an ambulance-only entrance. We’ve also worked with staff to develop a vehicular flow should the general public accidentally turn in there, they could be able to exit out to the parking lot.”

Mentor City Manager Kenneth Filipiak added that both his staff and the Cleveland Clinic developers and engineers have worked together extensively on plans for the site, and he is satisfied with the plans they’ve agreed on.

He said they will continue working closely with the Cleveland Clinic, but developers have been very cooperative with the city’s requests.

Following some inquiries on details of the hospital itself from Planning Commission

Secretary Geoffrey Varga, Berlekamp clarified that the Mentor Cleveland Clinic will not have ICU rooms or pediatrics. There will be a small cafe for visitors and patients to purchase snacks, but no plans for a full cafeteria.

According to the staff report, the new facility should be consistent with most other Cleveland Clinic hospitals, with the front and rear of the hospital’s exterior consisting of contemporary glass curtain walls.

“The administration and even members of our council have had an opportunity to visit several of their sites and they have consistently placed a high value on aesthetics at all of their facilities,” Filipiak said. “We like this design and have every confidence that it’ll be just as high quality as their other locations.”