Mount Carmel Health System expects to open a $37 million medical and fitness facility in Orange Township by November 2015.

Mount Carmel Health System expects to open a $37 million medical and fitness facility in Orange Township by November 2015.

Mount Carmel officials said Sept. 17 that construction should begin shortly on the 130,000-square-foot MC Fitness and Health building, which will be located east of U.S. Route 23's intersection with Corduroy Road.

The facility will feature an urgent-care center, along with primary and specialty physicians' offices and multiple labs and clinics. The building also will include exercise studios, an indoor track, a pool and a spa.

"It blends the best of both wellness and prevention with typical outpatient (services)," said Brett Justice, Mount Carmel's vice president for strategic advancement.

Justice said Mount Carmel, which operates a much-smaller facility off Sawmill Parkway in Powell, is ready to make a big investment in Delaware County. He said officials made the decision based not only on the county's population growth, but also the number of county residents who were traveling to Mount Carmel sites in Franklin County.

"This is an opportunity to bring our services close to their homes," he said.

Justice said MC Fitness and Health's athletic facilities will be available both to Mount Carmel patients and community members who wish to purchase a membership. Some details, such as the cost of a membership, have not yet been finalized.

The building will feature space for community meetings, a demonstration kitchen and a cafe.

"We want to be a resource for the Orange Township community and the surrounding areas," Justice said.

Mount Carmel officials said the combined health and fitness center is the first of its kind in Delaware County. Justice said similar facilities exist throughout the country, but this represents Mount Carmel's first attempt at such a project.

"It's new for us, but it's also complementary to what we've always been doing," he said.

Jason Koma, director of external affairs for Mount Carmel, said the health system wants to be on the cutting edge of what patients want and expect from a health-care provider.

"This is a very cool, out-of-the-box concept (and it's) where everything is going," he said.

Between the medical and athletic staffs, officials expect the center to employ about 100 workers by its third year of operation.

Justice did not rule out future expansion at the Orange Township site, saying there are "plentiful options for growth." He added the development and growth of that site would not prohibit Mount Carmel from expanding its operations in Powell.