Mercy Medical Center transforming former lodge into medical facility

Mercy Medical Center, which is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System, is transforming the former Massillon Moose Lodge into an outpatient health care facility that will include an urgent-care center, lab facilities, physical therapy and more.

IndieOnline.com recently ran an article about the new facility. As seen on IndieOnline.com:

Former Moose lodge to house Mercy medical facility

The transformation of a former Moose lodge to a health center on the city’s west side promises to offer expanded medical services to residents as well as neighboring communities that lack an abundance of health facilities.

Mercy Medical Center plans to transform the former Massillon Moose Lodge, at 2935 Lincoln Way W, into an outpatient health-care facility that will include an urgent-care center, diagnostics, lab facilities, digital X-ray (including mammography and bone density), physical therapy and mobile CT and MRI testing. The space also likely will include primary care physicians.

Mercy President and CEO Thomas E. Cecconi said officials have been eyeing expanding Mercy services in the Massillon area, especially the west side, for some time.

The new facility, he said, is going to fill a gap in Mercy’s service area. Mercy operates outpatient facilities in Lake Township, Alliance, Louisville, Carrollton, New Philadelphia, North Canton and Jackson Township.

Officials examined properties that could be suitable for a facility, including undeveloped land, and when the Moose property became available, Cecconi said they had found the right space.

“That location is really ideal for what we are looking for,” he said. “This really helps us put a very strong presence for Mercy in an important part of our service area. My vision is the health center is going to look very similar to the Jackson Health Center.”

The Jackson location, Cecconi said, has been successful, and he anticipates the Massillon facility will see similar success, especially with its access to state Routes 21 and 93 and U.S. Route 30.

“We think the facility on the west side of Massillon is going to be able to draw, not only from Massillon, but it is close enough to Dalton, Navarre, Beach City and more,” Cecconi said.

Mercy officials see potential future expansion of services at the site.

The property covers more than 3 acres and would have suitable space for expanding the existing building or constructing new, Cecconi said. The new facility will have about 20,000 square feet of usable space, he said.

Workers from general contractor Norm Eckinger Inc. began gutting the Massillon Moose Lodge in late November. Workers have begun constructing walls in the building, he said.

The concrete-block building, built in 1974, is structurally sound and suited to being retrofitted, realizing Mercy some savings, Cecconi said.

Mercy Medical Center purchased the building in October for $485,000, according to real estate records from the Stark County Auditor’s Office.

The project is expected to cost about $3.3 million and be completed by the fall. Cecconi anticipates 20 to 25 employees, a majority of them new hires, will work at the center.

“I think this is going to be very, very nice,” Cecconi said. “It has the right feel for what we are looking to do. We’ve continued to see a very nice growth in all of our facilities. By adding the Massillon facility, we are making access that much easier for them. They don’t have to drive to Canton or another hospital.”

Photo: Norm Eckinger (left) gives Nick Bagnolo, vice president of construction for Sisters of Charity Health Systems, and Tom Cecconi, president and CEO of Mercy Medical Center, a tour of the transformation of the former Massillon Moose Lodge into a Mercy Health Center. Photo credit: IndeOnline.com/Glenn B. Dettman