Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers announced plans this week for an $8 million expansion of its clinic and headquarters to include a new pharmacy on Milwaukee’s south side.
Groundbreaking on the expansion project is scheduled to begin this spring at the north end of the existing clinic, located at 1032 S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive, with the pharmacy planned for 2024.
“This pharmacy is critically important for the south side of Milwaukee,” Julie Schuller, president and CEO of SSCHC, said. “It will make things much more convenient and affordable for patients to get all of their health care needs addressed in one place.”
Patients seeing a doctor at Sixteenth’s Street’s Chavez Clinic will be able to go straight from their appointment to the pharmacy to pick up prescribed medication.
In February 2022, Sixteenth Street acquired the adjoining property at 1018 Caesar Chavez Drive for approximately $200,000, according to the organization. The building will be demolished to make space for the new structure, which will be connected to the clinic. SSCHC is also developing plans to address parking concerns for the clinic.
“To be able to bring a pharmacy to our community here on the south side is really a dream come true,” said Schuller. “This has been in the works for a long time and to see it come to fruition is very exciting for us, as well as our patients.”
The planned expansion is being partially funded by the American Rescue Plan Act – awarded to SSCHC by the state last year to address access to health care in Wisconsin – of which $2 million of the totaled $8 million project will come from the grant.
In addition, $1.25 million in federal funding is being provided to help progress the project, said SSCHC in a statement. Other funding resources include the Health Resources and Services Administration. The grants account for approximately $4 million of the $8 million project. Sixteenth Street plans to obtain the remaining investment through additional fundraising.
SSCHC operates seven clinics in Milwaukee and one in Waukesha. This would be the second pharmacy to be located within SSCHC clinics. SSCHC also houses an Advocate Aurora Health pharmacy at its Parkway Clinic at 2906 S. 20th Street. In addition, SSCHC has opened clinics in 23 schools, the most recent of which is located inside of South Division High School.
“We are here to help everyone in our community to live their healthiest lives,” said Schuller. “That means meeting our patients where they’re at and ensuring that they are able to receive top quality health care no matter what their situation may be. We are looking forward to this new pharmacy becoming a shining light for this community, and we are proud to provide it for our patients and their families.”
