Main Line Health eyes King of Prussia expansion

Source, Philadelphia Business Journal, Natalie Kostelni

Main Line Health is in the early stages of planning to expand its suburban presence with the construction of a major new building at the Village at Valley Forge.

Main Line Health is seeking to have what has been described as a 96,000-square-foot office building constructed on property that sits across from the Sheraton Valley Forge Hotel and next to land on which Korman Communities is developing its AVE multifamily complex,
according to people familiar with the plans. The timing of the project is unknown at this point.

“Main Line Health is exploring the potential of an outpatient health center in the Village at Valley Forge,” said Bridget Therriault, a spokeswoman for Main Line Health. “We anticipate continuing discussions with the township and property owners, Realen Valley Forge Green Associates, over the next several months. King of Prussia continues to grow as a premier destination in our region. In particular, the Village at Valley Forge will offer residential housing, retail shopping, entertainment, and dining. This location offers Main Line Health an opportunity to serve our patients’ health and wellness needs, with convenience and quality, right where they live, work and enjoy life.”

Main Line Health, which operates Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Lankenau Hospital, has been adding outpatient facilities throughout the suburbs and is not unlike other health systems that are reaching deeper into local communities to capture market share and patients. It has a presence in Collegeville, Broomall and Exton among other locations. In addition, Main Line Health leases 87,000 square feet at Ellis Preserve in Newtown Square, Pa., where it consolidated several administrative offices and has a separate outpatient facility there as well.

Also at the Village at Valley Forge, Children’s Hospital is reportedly in the early stages of expanding. CHOP already has a 120,000-square-foot specialty care center fronting North Gulph Road on an 8.84-acre site it bought in 2013. There is room and existing approvals for CHOP to expand on that site and it has reportedly acquired or in the process of buying another nearby parcel for additional future expansion, according to people familiar with the plans. Through a spokeswoman, CHOP said it didn’t have “any details” about any expansion plans at this point in time.