Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative Selects Architect For New State-of-the-Art Hospital
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CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI – March 3, 2025 – The Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative today announced that, after a competitive review process, River Valley Architects (RVA) has been awarded the Architectural and Engineering Design Services assignment for the state-of-the-art hospital that it plans to build in Lake Hallie, WI. RVA, headquartered in Eau Claire, WI, has been providing Architectural Design services for healthcare facilities since 2008.
RVA scored the highest among a highly qualified pool of recognized architects across criteria including design, experience, references, fees, and local building codes and requirements expertise. In addition, RVA brought its local partners to the table to demonstrate its ability to hit the ground running with a complete team experienced at working together for excellent outcomes.
“The review process was extremely competitive,” said Thomas Larson, member of the Cooperative’s Board of Organizers, who co-led the architecture review process. “We were impressed with many of the presentations and frankly had several great options. RVA won on an objective point-scoring process which included many different reviewers. This is a testament to the experience and healthcare knowledge that RVA brings to the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative’s team.
“We also appreciate that they sharpened their pencils to drive down their cost without cutting any corners in their service,” added Larson.
The proposed site is located in Lake Hallie on the west side of Highway 53 between Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire. This location was chosen for the new hospital because it provides convenient access to emergency and inpatient services for patients from across the entire region, as well as the flexibility for future growth.
The Cooperative’s new 144,000-square-foot state-of-the-art hospital will be a flexible facility including 48 hospital beds, with a 12-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Emergency Department, Medical-Surgical services, Labor & Delivery, critical care units, a comprehensive Cancer Center with diagnostic services including laboratory, radiology, and cardiology. The new hospital will also offer physical, occupational, and speech therapies.
The Cooperative expects to open the doors of the new hospital in late 2027.
Due Diligence Continues for Interim Facility
In addition to moving forward on the new hospital, the Cooperative is making considerable progress in its due diligence in assessing the financial feasibility of reopening the St. Joseph’s campus in Chippewa Falls as an interim facility while the new hospital is being built.
“We’ve made good progress in our due diligence process in the last 60 days,” said Robert Krause, Chair of the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative. “So far, what we’ve seen is encouraging, and we are fast-tracking the rest of the required due diligence now.”
The Cooperative board believes that most of the investment required to reopen the St. Joseph’s facility will be transferrable to the new hospital.
“If financially feasible, our plan is to optimize the Interim Facility with an eye towards moving as much of the equipment, technology, and infrastructure to the new hospital,” said Mike Sanders, Managing Director of 1100 Partners and former CEO of Monroe Clinic, who has been working hand-in-hand with the Cooperative since it was formed. “As a short-term solution, we hope the St. Joseph’s facility can fill a critical need and give us a leg up on the new future-forward hospital.”
Exploring Behavioral Health Service Partnership
The Cooperative is also in discussions with various mental health providers to explore partnership opportunities so that it can provide mental health services for the Chippewa Valley region as soon as possible.
“Our community urgently needs robust behavioral health services here so that patients aren’t sent hours away during crises and for rehabilitation,” added Krause. “We are working in earnest to be able to help close the significant behavioral health gap with a strategic partnership at our facilities.”
About the Cooperative
The Chippewa Valley Heath Cooperative is an independently governed, locally rooted nonprofit organization committed to making high-quality healthcare accessible and affordable for the residents of the 18 counties in Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley region. Focused on patientcentered care, prevention, and education, the Cooperative strives to make a lasting, positive impact on the Chippewa Valley’s health and well-being for generations to come. Formed on February 29, 2024, the Cooperative is a Wisconsin Chapter 193 cooperative and a registered 501c3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization. More information at www.chippewavalleyhealthcooperative.org.
RVA scored the highest among a highly qualified pool of recognized architects across criteria including design, experience, references, fees, and local building codes and requirements expertise. In addition, RVA brought its local partners to the table to demonstrate its ability to hit the ground running with a complete team experienced at working together for excellent outcomes.
“The review process was extremely competitive,” said Thomas Larson, member of the Cooperative’s Board of Organizers, who co-led the architecture review process. “We were impressed with many of the presentations and frankly had several great options. RVA won on an objective point-scoring process which included many different reviewers. This is a testament to the experience and healthcare knowledge that RVA brings to the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative’s team.
“We also appreciate that they sharpened their pencils to drive down their cost without cutting any corners in their service,” added Larson.
The proposed site is located in Lake Hallie on the west side of Highway 53 between Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire. This location was chosen for the new hospital because it provides convenient access to emergency and inpatient services for patients from across the entire region, as well as the flexibility for future growth.
The Cooperative’s new 144,000-square-foot state-of-the-art hospital will be a flexible facility including 48 hospital beds, with a 12-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Emergency Department, Medical-Surgical services, Labor & Delivery, critical care units, a comprehensive Cancer Center with diagnostic services including laboratory, radiology, and cardiology. The new hospital will also offer physical, occupational, and speech therapies.
The Cooperative expects to open the doors of the new hospital in late 2027.
Due Diligence Continues for Interim Facility
In addition to moving forward on the new hospital, the Cooperative is making considerable progress in its due diligence in assessing the financial feasibility of reopening the St. Joseph’s campus in Chippewa Falls as an interim facility while the new hospital is being built.
“We’ve made good progress in our due diligence process in the last 60 days,” said Robert Krause, Chair of the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative. “So far, what we’ve seen is encouraging, and we are fast-tracking the rest of the required due diligence now.”
The Cooperative board believes that most of the investment required to reopen the St. Joseph’s facility will be transferrable to the new hospital.
“If financially feasible, our plan is to optimize the Interim Facility with an eye towards moving as much of the equipment, technology, and infrastructure to the new hospital,” said Mike Sanders, Managing Director of 1100 Partners and former CEO of Monroe Clinic, who has been working hand-in-hand with the Cooperative since it was formed. “As a short-term solution, we hope the St. Joseph’s facility can fill a critical need and give us a leg up on the new future-forward hospital.”
Exploring Behavioral Health Service Partnership
The Cooperative is also in discussions with various mental health providers to explore partnership opportunities so that it can provide mental health services for the Chippewa Valley region as soon as possible.
“Our community urgently needs robust behavioral health services here so that patients aren’t sent hours away during crises and for rehabilitation,” added Krause. “We are working in earnest to be able to help close the significant behavioral health gap with a strategic partnership at our facilities.”
About the Cooperative
The Chippewa Valley Heath Cooperative is an independently governed, locally rooted nonprofit organization committed to making high-quality healthcare accessible and affordable for the residents of the 18 counties in Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley region. Focused on patientcentered care, prevention, and education, the Cooperative strives to make a lasting, positive impact on the Chippewa Valley’s health and well-being for generations to come. Formed on February 29, 2024, the Cooperative is a Wisconsin Chapter 193 cooperative and a registered 501c3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization. More information at www.chippewavalleyhealthcooperative.org.
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