New community health center planned for Springfield

Public and private sector officials gathered Tuesday in Springfield to announce plans for a new 90,000 square foot community health center, a project that will eventually change where area residents receive care.

Baystate Health plans to build, own and operate the $50 million center on 10 acres of land donated by MassMutual and valued at $5 million in the southeast corner of its 100-acre Springfield campus.

As part of the project, Baystate Health plans to eventually consolidate services from four of its existing Springfield health centers to the new building. Those centers, which Baystate said are limited in size and need upgrades, are the Mason Square Neighborhood Health Center, Baystate High Street Health Center, Baystate High Street Pediatrics and Wesson Women’s Clinic.

The centers accommodate 125,000 patient visits annually, and officials expect patient visits at the new center to total 145,000 by 2028.

MassMutual is providing financing for the project, and the MassMutual Foundation is donating $5 million to support the center.

The lot where the center will be built, which will be accessible at the intersection of Wilbraham Road and Alden Street, will need to be cleared of existing buildings and subdivided into its own parcel, separate from MassMutual’s headquarters. Construction is expected to begin in 2025 and be completed in 2027, officials announced Tuesday.

“Throughout our long histories in Springfield, both MassMutual and Baystate have had an enduring commitment to each other’s success as we’ve worked toward our own respective — yet similar — pursuits, helping people live better, more fulfilling lives,” MassMutual CEO Roger Crandall said.