Building a Therapeutic Business Park for Healthcare Tenants

When a loved one isn’t feeling well, we often support them by building a healing environment. We search out comforts to assist in their recovery, from opening a window with fresh air and a view to locating their favorite book. In developing our master plan community, University Park, the Grupe Huber team recognized that our healthcare tenants deserved a campus that would prove therapeutic for providers, caretakers, and patients alike. We wanted to serve our partners and the community by constructing a space for peace and relief. Healthcare facilities can feel sterile and cold, adding to the already upsetting experience of being unwell or visiting a friend or family member receiving care. Instead, we chose to be invested in the success of our healthcare tenants by building a sanctuary in the city, full of beautiful natural views, peaceful and private sitting areas, and opportunities for reflection.

Making time to get outdoors does all of us good, but means infinitely more to stressed healthcare workers, patients who’ve spent too much time inside, and family members working through their concerns. We knew that with medical tenants as a key segment of University Park’s business, it made good sense to position as many tenants as possible near our lake. We took care to get the details right in carving out space for the lake, making it appear as if it has always been part of the campus. It looks the part since it is always full of turtles, ducks, and a crane or two. Our lake is the perfect example of a serendipitous engineering solution that has proven incredibly valuable for tenants. It is now an ideal spot for a happy distraction or a quiet lunch outside.

Jennifer Selikoff is the Chief Development Officer at Vibra Healthcare & Ernest Health, which is the organization creating the brand-new medical rehabilitation hospital planned to open at University Park. She shared with our team that when a patient is in a rehabilitation hospital for more than a day or two they are encouraged to get up and move, so considering that their patients often stay 12-14 days, enjoyable outdoor space is important. Selikoff explained, “the University Park campus provides an opportunity for an outdoor therapy courtyard and we’ll be able to take advantage of the walking trails, providing space for our patients, their loved ones that come to visit, and our staff. You couldn’t ask for a better location.”

Sitting areas that provide privacy away from activity and socialization are smart when it comes to planning for healthcare tenants. Medical work calls for a respite, as does the work of getting better. Beside the lake, near the rose garden, and all along the Discovery Trail we provided opportunities to enjoy the beauty of the campus while having a quiet moment.

Beyond our considerations to build spaces to take in nature or find a moment alone, we established the University Park World Peace Rose Garden to engender feelings of hope, reflection, and connection for our tenants. Not every development partner will mark out space in their plan for an internationally recognized rose garden to best serve healthcare offices, but we wanted to deliver something interactive, stunning, and inspiring. The rose garden is the site of our Inspirational Messages of Peace Contest, held each year to highlight students all over Stockton, with the messages visible on plaques throughout the garden. Providers and patients enjoy the garden’s 245 rose plants, benches, and a peace box where guests can write their own Inspirational Message of Peace to be shared on our social media channels.

When the Grupe Huber team begins work on a project, we take into consideration property uses, tenant needs, and how we can best serve the entire community. It might seem like a lot of separate interests to keep in mind, but this level of attention to detail is how we find purpose in our work. We feel confident that our healthcare tenants and those they serve are in an environment crafted for healing. If we had to choose a place to visit an ailing loved one or seek care ourselves, we’d certainly prefer University Park’s lake, wildlife, Discovery Trail, artwork, World Peace Rose Garden, and countless calming places to sit over the often impersonal experience of most medical office parks. It is common sense and makes business sense to over-deliver on tenant needs, knowing that a pleased tenant will take the best care of our community.

If University Park sounds like the perfect place for your business, we currently have one building pad that overlooks the lake, plus two available historic buildings — Sequoia Hall, which is 24,000 square feet, and the Eucalyptus Building, which is 17,000 square feet — all with prime views of the lake. We’re excited to find the perfect tenants for these spaces.