WellStar Clears Hurdle For Proposed Health Park, Hospice Center

Marietta-based WellStar Health System has cleared one hurdle with the city of Holly Springs, but still has one more to go.

The Holly Springs Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday voted to recommend approval of the company's request to rezone about 62 acres at the southwest corner of Sixes Road at Interstate 575 from general commercial and mixed use to entirely general commercial.

It also recommended approval to the company's request to obtain a conditional use permit to operate an institution similar to a hospital and a hospice facility or personal care home.

If the company gets the city's stamp of approval and if they are able to purchase the land, it would like to start construction on a health park within the year. 

WellStar Spokesperson Keith Bowermaster said the health park would be about 100,000 square-feet, cost around $38 million and create around 120 new jobs. 

Depending on population growth and state approval, the company would like to build a proposed $100 million, 100-bed, eight-story hospital in the next seven to 10 years. The hospital would cost around $100 million.  

Bowermaster then said the hospital would consider a 20-bed hospice facility "to be built whenever the community need presents itself."

Among its several stipulations, the commission said a free-standing emergency department could be allowed on the property only if it's attached to the proposed hospital.

The decision now goes to the Holly Springs City Council, which will review the case during its work session on Monday at 7 p.m. It will consider both requests during its meeting at 7 p.m. Monday March 18. 

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