First look: Mercy Health reveals its new HQ

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Courtesy Mercy Health

Mercy breaks ground on Tuesday for a $71 million headquarters in Bond Hill. The Z-shaped structure was designed by Champlin Architecture of downtown Cincinnati.

Barrett J. Brunsman

Staff reporter- Cincinnati Business Courier

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Mercy Health revealed today that the $71 million headquarters it intends to build in Bond Hill will be a massive Z-shaped structure designed by Champlin Architecture of downtown Cincinnati. Mercy breaks ground on Tuesday, and the facility is to open by spring 2016.

Consisting of two buildings connected by a common area, the headquarters will encompass 365,000 square feet and provide offices for about 1,050 employees.

The vacant 25-acre site at 1701 Showcase Drive used to be occupied by Showcase Cinemas. It's off Reading Road near the Norwood Lateral, which provides access to Interstates 71 and 75.

Mercy Health also announced today that it has selected Messer Construction as construction manager and general contractor for the new headquarters. Minority-owned Jostin Construction will partner with Messer on construction management.

"We selected Messer for its expertise in managing complex commercial construction and for its demonstrated leadership and commitment to economic inclusion and supplier diversity," said Calvin Wright, Mercy Health's chief resource officer.

He cited Messer's relationship with Jostin Construction as an example of the firm's willingness to forge strategic relationships with minority- and women-owned businesses.

The founder and CEO of Jostin Construction is Albert Smitherman, brother of Cincinnati Councilman Christopher Smitherman.

The councilman, who is the former president of the Cincinnati chapter of the NAACP, criticized Mercy Health in the past regarding the shutdown of its hospitals in the city neighborhoods of Westwood and Mount Airy to open a new West Hospital in suburban Green Township.

Brunsman covers Procter & Gamble Co. and health care.