Denver-based NexCore Group, a national healthcare real estate (HRE) developer, broke ground Friday, April 27, for the new CHI St. Vincent expansion of its Arkansas Neuroscience Institute in Sherwood, a northern suburb of Little Rock, Ark.
The education and research facility, being developed at 6020 Warden Road, will reside on CHI St. Vincent’s North Little Rock campus, allowing ANI staff to better serve its patients and allow for an expansion of services. With a total size of 42,133 square feet, it will incorporate a research laboratory, auditorium, classrooms, an exhibit area, and office space for physician practices expanding the list of complementary services offered to patients on one campus.
Chad Aduddell, CEO of CHI St. Vincent, says the project will create a destination center for neurosciences that does not exist in this region of the country.
“This will be an exciting time for Sherwood and Central Arkansas,” Mr. Aduddell says. “During this transformation we will be recruiting and hiring additional staff for our facilities as well as providing training for new and existing staff so that we deliver excellent and compassionate care.”
The Arkansas Neuroscience Institute is the vision of Dr. Ali Krisht, who stands among the top 1 percent of neurosurgeons in the nation. Dr. Krisht says, “This is the seed of a bigger goal in the future,” referencing the groundbreaking advancements in the field of neuroscience that a new generation of surgeons will learn and develop to tackle the most complex cases and positively impact patient outcomes.
NexCore Group Managing Principal Todd Varney says the firm is pleased to partner with CHI St. Vincent to provide advanced solutions that result in the development of a world-class healthcare destination for neurological services.
“Every great project starts with top-notch leadership, and this has been the leadership of Dr. Krisht and Dr. Emad Aboud (Director, Microneurosurgery Laboratory) for many years,” Mr. Varney says. “We commend them on the level of service they provide to the community, to the patients, to the families, and it’s because of their groundbreaking work that the hospital leadership has come together to develop this state-of-the-art facility. We are honored to participate in the execution of Dr. Krisht’s vision.”
The Arkansas Neuroscience Institute will relocate its surgical and clinical operations to the new Sherwood facility by the end of the year. The education and research center is anticipated to open early in 2019.