Good news for District 13 and South Madison!

SSM announced this morning that they will not be building their clinic on the Pick N' Save site, sparing the only full-service grocery store to serve South Madison. 

SSM's response to neighborhood concerns is very encouraging.  The decision not to build their clinic at the Pick N' Save site is a critical step in avoiding a grocery gap for South Madison.

SSM Regional President Damond Boatwright's leadership on this issue has been exemplary. What we're seeing is a textbook example of corporate responsibility -- hearing neighborhood concerns and working collaboratively to come up with creative solutions is the right way to move forward.

Mayor Satya deserves praise as well for her leadership.  The city has a moral responsibility to get this right, to not create a food desert in South Madison, and she's made that clear from the get go.

I look forward to joining city staff in working with Damond and his team in determining next steps and partnering with a new grocery store on S. Park St.

Hopefully, you received a post card about the neighborhood meeting tomorrow, Thurs May 23, 5:30pm, at the Labor Temple.  We'll be discussing more details about the new RFP, the east-west connector, and overall next steps for the Wingra Triangle.  

Here is SSM's press release:

SSM Health to build replacement clinic on South Fish Hatchery Road

MADISON, WI  (MAY 22, 2019) – After taking time to carefully consider concerns raised by South Madison residents, SSM Health has decided not to build our replacement clinic on South Park Street. Because of our rich history in South Madison, with a hospital and clinic in the area for more than a century, we want to stay in South Madison and have decided to move forward with our multi-million dollar campus project on our existing South Fish Hatchery Road property.

“We hear you South Madison,” says Damond Boatwright, Regional President for SSM Health in Wisconsin. “We care about your health and well-being and understand the importance of maintaining access to healthy foods in our community. I am grateful to the community members who have provided feedback, asked questions and offered suggestions as we have worked through site selection for our project. Community input and engagement are essential to the success of a project of this nature.”

As previously announced, SSM Health is working closely with the City of Madison on its Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development of the Truman Olson site. SSM Health believes that moving our replacement clinic project away from South Park Street, and more specifically from the land where Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc. currently operates a Pick ‘n Save store, the City will have more time and flexibility to select the best developer and grocery store partner for the Truman Olson project.

SSM Health remains committed and is excited to work with the eventual developer and grocery store in partnering on health care services located either within or nearby the new grocery store. We believe that through creative partnerships we can provide high quality health care services to area residents when and where they need them, which will make our community stronger together.

This site change will require changes to our overall project plan. We are still very early in the planning and development process. As more information becomes available, we will share those details.