Sept. 9 key date as Essentia Health preps for Vision Northland

With construction set to start this fall on Vision Northland, Essentia Health’s $800 million transformation of its downtown Duluth medical campus, Sept. 9 has emerged as a key date. The three-year project, which doubles as the largest private investment in city history, will ramp up in earnest that Monday. Noteworthy events include:

Road closures

First Street will close from Fourth Avenue East along the two-block length of the Duluth Clinic First Street Building. Fourth Avenue East will close from Superior Street to First Street and become part of the construction site.

Restricted access to Duluth Clinic’s First Street Building

The road closures will restrict access to the First Street Building. While the main entrance will remain open, we are asking patients to use the entrance to the Duluth Clinic’s Second Street Building and then take the skywalk to the First Street Building.

Free valet parking launches

To assist our patients, we will begin offering free valet parking via the Second Street Building’s entrance at 502 E. Second St. Patients with appointments on our downtown campus can simply drop off their vehicles and pick them up later. Guest Services staff will be on hand to assist and direct patients. Our valet parking will operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Demolition to begin inside Amendola Building

Demolition will begin inside the Amendola Building on Superior Street (demolition of the structure is scheduled to start Oct. 9). Crews will work their way up the hill to the Blue Ramp on East Second Street, which will close on Sept. 30 to be prepped for demolition in October.

Skywalk closing

The skywalk between the Duluth Clinic’s First Street Building and city parking ramp will close for demolition. A construction crosswalk will allow pedestrians to cross Fourth Avenue East and walk along First Street to the clinic and to the First Street entrance to Essentia Health-Duluth and the Second Street Building.

Construction site fencing to go up

Fencing will start to go up around the construction site.

Ahead of Sept. 9, and throughout the Vision Northland project, you may find the following links helpful.

Vision Northland web page: https://www.essentiahealth.org/vision-northland/

Construction-related parking updates: https://www.essentiahealth.org/alerts/essentia-health-downtown-duluth-parking/

“As we approach this historic project, it’s important to keep our patients, community members and colleagues informed throughout the process,” said Mark Hayward, Essentia Health’s senior vice president of operations.

TIMELINE

2018 → Design and construction master plan

September 2019 → Construction begins

May 2020 → Foundations complete J

July 2021 → Structure complete

Summer 2021 → Building enclosed

Summer 2022 → Interior complete

Fall 2022 → Replacement hospital bed tower complete

Architectural rendering of the hospital bed tower