ROCHESTER, Minn. — Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester is a multiyear strategic initiative to help achieve the Mayo Clinic’s strategy to Cure, Connect and Transform health care. The project reinforces Mayo Clinic’s commitment to the City of Rochester and State of Minnesota.  

The initiative focuses on reimagining Mayo Clinic’s downtown Rochester campus, which includes adding state-of-the-art, flexible physical spaces to allow full integration of digital technology to better support the evolving needs of patients, staff and communities.

“Mayo Clinic has been a leader in healthcare transformation for 150 years, and patients across the world rely on Mayo Clinic to cure their serious and complex diseases,” says Craig Daniels, M.D., physician leader of Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester. “We must continue transforming healthcare to fulfill our obligation to our patients, support our staff and ensure we continue to make the Mayo Clinic we inherited better for the next generation.”

To allow this transformation in Rochester to move forward, the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees recently approved a series of enabling projects that will allow the Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester team to proceed with further planning and progress on the strategic initiative.

"I've heard them called 'liftoff projects,' which I like," says Dr. Daniels, "because that's what they'll do — allow us to remain on the path to achieve liftoff late this year when we request approval for the full Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester vision."

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video is available in the downloads at the end of the post. Name super/CG: Craig Daniels, M.D./Physician Leader of Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester/Mayo Clinic

Fostering connection, transformation in downtown Rochester

"Mayo Clinic has a long history of investing in Rochester," says Dr. Daniels. "Those investments, in both technology and buildings, have always served our patients' needs by empowering our teams with what they need to care for and cure those who need us."

Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester is an investment in Mayo Clinic's staff and patients, but also downtown Rochester, including redesigning the downtown footprint and partnering with local officials and businesses to help bolster economic growth and vitality for generations to come. The project will result in exciting changes to downtown, and Mayo Clinic is committed to sequencing the work to minimize disruption over the coming years.

The Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester design team is working closely with the City of Rochester to find creative solutions that are proportionate to Mayo Clinic’s downtown presence, including new parking infrastructure like the Discovery Square ramp, a partnership with the planned Link Rapid Transit line in Rochester and more.  

Reimagining the former Lourdes High School site

In 2013, Mayo Clinic purchased the former Lourdes High School site with the intention of redeveloping the two-block site to accommodate future growth.

As part of Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester, Mayo Clinic plans to reimagine the former Lourdes High School site. The current structure is largely unusable due to asbestos and flooding damage. The site could be redeveloped to serve as a new logistics building that would help optimize clinical space for patient care while ensuring supplies are accessible and efficiently restocked.

Mayo Clinic will begin the process with the City of Rochester Heritage Preservation Commission, understanding approvals are necessary to redevelop this site.

What’s next?

Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester is taking an iterative approach to redesigning Mayo Clinic’s downtown campus, and project teams are committed to sequencing the work to minimize disruption over the coming years.

The project and plan will change as teams adapt and respond to new learnings. Many decisions are yet to be made, but proceeding with these enabling projects will allow Mayo Clinic to work with the City of Rochester, the community and its staff as the organization continues moving forward with planning.

Here is a link to some frequently asked questions.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Kristy Jacobson, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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