Medical building approved for vacant lots near Brockton High School
BROCKTON — Two vacant lots on Belmont Street would be home to a new medical building under a project approved last week by the city's planning board.
The two-story new construction would bring about 35,000 square feet of space for primary care doctors, medical imaging and urgent care, according to developer Dr. Akash Patel and plans filed with the city.
Scott Faria of J.K. Holmgren Engineering told the planning board that the building would roughly mirror an existing medical building built in 2021 by Patel at 401 N. Bedford St. in East Bridgewater. The medical providers in the building are affiliated with Steward Health Care, the parent company of Good Samaritan Medical Center, via the Steward Medical Group network.
A representative of Steward Health Care said she had no information about whether doctors and other health pros at the new building will be part of Steward Medical Group. Patel said affiliation had yet to be determined.
Patel said Thursday that he hopes to break ground in the first quarter of 2024 and open the doors of the "state of the art" facility by the end of 2025. Patel said he sees an opportunity to provide new-construction medical space that can out-compete aging doctors' offices in the area.
Patel plans to make a multi-million dollar investment in Brockton but declined to say publicly how much he plans to spend. He noted that Brockton Hospital, when it reopens, will have a fresh look, as would his medical building. Brockton is an attractive place to invest in medical offices, he said, as the market includes not just Brockton itself but surrounding towns.
"Our population is aging, we are living longer and longer," Patel said.
The new building would be about halfway between Route 24 and Brockton High School and across Belmont Street from the Sunoco station. During the "technical review" phase of city approval the developer changed the layout to make it easier for emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and fire trucks, to navigate the property. The two-story building would present its side to Belmont Street, with some parking out front by the main entrance but most spaces in the rear.
The lots have long been vacant. A house that stood on the property was razed in 2011, according to city property records. The only visible structure on the property is a raised manhole cover.
Developers continue to bet on the Brockton area for medical facilities. For instance, Signature Health Care recently reopened the old Compass Medical building in East Bridgewater.
Send your news tips to reporter Chris Helms by email at CHelms@enterprisenews.com or connect on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @HelmsNews.
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton's 838 Belmont St. approved as 2-story medical building
