This press release contains dated information and should be used for background only.
KANSAS CITY, Kan.– The University of Kansas Hospital announced today that it has signed a sales contract with Sprint to purchase the company’s former corporate headquarters at 2330 Shawnee Mission Parkway in Westwood, Kan. Zimmer Real Estate Services was the listing agent and broker for the multi-million dollar transaction.
The location is 1 ½ miles away from the hospital’s campus at 39th and Rainbow. Hospital executives say they will immediately start the process of moving some back office functions such as finance and information management to the building. They are also exploring moving some outpatient services to the new location.
“Our overall growth as an organization in the last seven years has created significant need for office and clinical space. We have hospital employees in three other buildings across the metropolitan area. Consolidating them to a single location close to the main hospital will make us more effective and efficient,” said Irene Cumming, president and chief executive officer of The University of Kansas Hospital. “We are looking at various options for our clinical programs on the main campus and new site to provide better access and convenience for our patients. This acquisition gives us the flexibility to more easily adjust to our growth and better accommodate our patients.”
Cumming said both the Hospital and the University sides of the campus looked at the property but the University determined it was not suitable for its needs at this time. The Hospital said office functions could start moving in as early as June.
"This is an outstanding opportunity for both The University of Kansas Hospital and the University of Kansas as we continually seek ways to further our partnership and serve the important mission of the community. I know that community leaders will join us in our collective enthusiasm as the vision for this site emerges in the future," said Robert Hemenway, chancellor of The University of Kansas.
"Sprint is pleased to be able to make this sale to such a viable and valued member of the Kansas City community," said Faye Davis, vice president of Enterprise Property Services for Sprint. "The entire Kansas City region will benefit from the increased accessibility to The University of Kansas Hospital’s life-saving and life-enhancing services at this central location."
The University of Kansas Hospital is the region's premier academic medical center, providing a full range of care. The Hospital was founded in 1906 and was removed from the University of Kansas system to be governed by an independent Authority Board in 1998. Since then the hospital has seen record levels of patient volume, patient satisfaction and financial stability. The Hospital is affiliated with the University of Kansas Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health and their various leading edge research projects.
The constantly growing facility contains more than 470 staffed beds and serves nearly 19,000 inpatients annually. Among The University of Kansas Hospital’s key clinical strengths are a comprehensive heart program, an inter-disciplinary cancer program, the area’s only nationally accredited Level I Trauma program and a leading neuroscience program. Construction is currently underway at the Hospital on the 238,000-square-foot Center for Advanced Heart Care, which will house inpatient and outpatient heart care when it opens in 2006.