City reviews Phase 1 of Dignity Health medical center in Folsom Ranch

City officials are moving forward this week with Phase One of the proposed 27-acre Folsom Ranch Medical Center by Dignity Health. The hospital site is located at the northeast corner of East Bidwell Street and Alder Creek Parkway south of Highway 50. Officials said the medical center will be developed in five phases over 23 years, including a six-story, 400,000 square-foot acute care hospital with 300 beds. The plan includes two three-story, 65,000 square-foot outer medical office buildings and a heliport facility. "We're thrilled that Dignity Health is growing right along with us," said Folsom Mayor Sarah Aquino. The Folsom Planning Commission was scheduled to review Phase One of the project after press time Wednesday, which includes one of the two three-story outer buildings and parking. Folsom planning staff recommended approval of the design review and permit modification. The entire project site is 27 acres, with the Phase One covering 10 acres, or roughly the southern third of the site. The land is bound by Highway 50 to the north, Alder Creek Parkway south, East Bidwell Street west and future McCarthy Way and multi-family homes east. In addition, the project includes several significant off-site improvements, staff said. Those include roadway and utilities, grading on three adjacent parcels, a hydromodification basin, a storm drain swale and a "borrow" site to excavate earthfill to even out other spots on the property. Since permit approval several years ago, most of the off-site improvements have been completed. Phase One is expected to feature an urgent care center, an ambulatory surgery center and infusion center. Tenant space will include other med-related services. As proposed, the main access to the med center will be from McCarthy Way, with secondary access available from northbound East Bidwell Street. Meanwhile, Dignity currently runs Folsom's Mercy Hospital on Creekside Drive, the only acute care hospital in the city. Mercy just celebrated 35 years in Folsom.