Recently unveiled details of Cleveland Clinic's $1.3 billion capital commitment significantly expand on plans to add capacity to its Neurological and Cole Eye institutes — plans first announced three years ago and then paused during the pandemic.
In addition to a new building for the Neurological Institute and expansion of the Cole Eye Institute — each of which grew substantially in scale since 2019 — the Clinic also is expanding research facilities through its commitment to the Cleveland Innovation District, a research and education partnership among five anchor institutions.
The biggest change to the capital plan over the past three years is this "major, major investment in research," said Bill Peacock, the Clinic's chief of operations.
"We haven't made a major significant capital expansion of our research capability since about 2004, when we built the Lerner Research Institute buildings on the south side of Carnegie Avenue," he said. "And we're looking at adding 400,000 square feet of research bench space, laboratories, wet lab, dry lab, computational space. We're very blessed to have money coming from the state, from both JobsOhio and our own purse to make this happen."
The Clinic is collaborating with community partners "to transform Cedar Avenue," Peacock said. In the fall, in partnership with Brooks Automation, the Clinic opened a 22,000-square-foot BioRepository on the south side of Cedar Avenue between East 97th and East 110th streets. The health system also is collaborating with community partners on a $52.8 million mixed-use project now under construction that will bring a Meijer store and apartments to the corner of East 105th Street and Cedar Avenue.
Across from the BioRepository, the Clinic is building two structures to expand its research capacity for the Clinic's new Global Center for Pathogen Research & Human Health, which is part of the Cleveland Innovation District.
The district, unveiled in 2021 as a $565 million project, is a collaboration among the Clinic, MetroHealth, University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University. The initiative draws on $300 million from the Clinic, $110 million from JobsOhio and $155 million from the state.
From JobsOhio, the Clinic will receive up to $45 million. The state money consists of a job-creation tax credit for the Clinic, worth an estimated $55 million based on hiring and payroll over a seven-year period; and a $100 million forgivable loan for construction of research facilities as part of the pathogen center.
For the combined estimated $200 million investment from JobsOhio and the state, the Clinic made a series of commitments, including creating 1,000 jobs in seven years.
As part of its agreements with JobsOhio and the state, the Clinic committed to creating 8,500 jobs, including 1,000 direct positions and 7,500 indirect roles in everything from healthcare and research to support services.
The system estimates the current capital projects it announced will add 2,100 direct jobs, 1,000 of which would be related to JobsOhio targets, while the remaining 1,100 is new staff for the Neurological and Cole Eye institutes and construction. The Clinic also anticipates adding a total of 7,500 indirect jobs.
Most of the Clinic's $1.3 billion capital spend for 2022 will be on its main campus. Of that, $82 million is related to the Innovation District. Philanthropy will help offset some of the costs. The capital spend includes $700 million in recapitalization (equipment & infrastructure), $200 million in IT systems and $400 million to support projects including the Neurological and Cole Eye Institutes, as well as regional projects like the construction of Mentor Hospital.
Other capital projects include renovations at Fairview Hospital, an expansion of the top floor of the bed tower of Cleveland Clinic Florida's Weston Hospital and Cleveland Clinic London, which opened in March.