University of Missouri-St. Louis Unveils Patient Care Center for College of Optometry

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis has unveiled its College of Optometry’s new $17-million Patient Care Center on the South Campus. Built by general contractor ICS Construction and designed by HOK, the two-story, 48,000-square-foot building provides a space for clinical education and research for the college, as well as comprehensive eye and vision care for the community.

The Patient Care Center replaces the University Eye Center located in UMSL’s Marillac Hall, a building originally designed as a residence hall for nuns. The new facility is located along Natural Bridge Road, adjacent to the UMSL South MetroLink station. It has four service areas for adult eye care, pediatric eye care, contact lens eye care and primary healthcare. The two-story atrium with a signature “eye” window acts as a focal point of the building.

“To accommodate UMSL’s patient care, educational and outreach needs, we designed the building to be highly flexible,” said Paul Whitson, AIA, senior vice president and regional leader of healthcare at HOK in St. Louis. “Same-handed and equally sized treatment rooms will enable it to adapt to future changes within the healthcare industry.”

Approximately 13,000 square feet of space in the Patient Care Center is programmed for future community partnership opportunities, which might include an urgent care or dental clinic.