I love this story – the quick take is Gaylord just approved a new medical school. I’ll post the whole press release below. For this blog, here’s the most pertinent piece…

Keithahn further stated, “Gaylord’s easy access to Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as its rural location as the county seat for Sibley County are key factors that the Danza Group considered.  Medical school students will be a valuable role model for young children as well as junior and senior high students who are considering careers in medicine.  Mr. Danza has also been impressed with Gaylord’s commitment to invest in RS Fiber Cooperative’s public-private partnership to deliver an affordable fiber-optic broadband network to 10 cities and 17 townships across four counties in south central Minnesota. Medical education and health care today is increasingly dependent on high-speed internet access and Mr. Danza is excited about partnering with RS Fiber and its customers.  Mr. Danza truly believes that “we all benefit when we work together.””

It’s about a community that is investing to grow. Not giving up. Not be OK with second tier anything. It’s good for Gaylord, it’s good for Minnesota. I think they deserve all of the credit and growth they want! Part of that is the investment in fiber – and I don’t know if it’s a symptom or a cause but investment breeds an attitide that spurs growth.

The City Council of Gaylord, Minnesota voted unanimously last night to approve a brand new medical school in Gaylord. According to Tony Danza, President of the Danza Group, “There is a projected shortage of almost 150,000 physicians in this country by the year 2025. Minnesota is expected to have a shortage of 2,000 physicians during that same period. I believe it is critical that an investment in medical education be made in Gaylord, Minnesota. A medical school in Gaylord will mean that student doctors can experience first-hand the primary care needs of a rural population and become excited about being a primary care physician.”
City Mayor Don Boeder, is enthusiastic about the opportunities that a new medical school in Gaylord will provide, “We look forward to working with Mr. Danza as a community partner in this exciting venture. We share his vision that rural Minnesota cities can become welcoming hosts to new businesses. The medical school investment results from the leadership and vision that Gaylord citizens and elected community officials have shown over the past 15 years. Our citizens and taxpayers have invested countless hours and millions of dollars in Gaylord, expanding and upgrading our senior housing campus, building a new city library, constructing an area-wide aquatic center, investing in city parks, walking paths, and streets, and upgrading our police department as well as our volunteer ambulance and fire departments. We are building a new water tower and redeveloping our downtown business district in 2015. We have been preparing for growth and it is satisfying that Mr. Danza has given us a vote of confidence with his decision to invest in a new medical school in our community.”
Gaylord’s City Council voted to work with the Danza Group, which will allow the medical school to occupy the current Sibley East elementary and junior high school, after it is relocated to a new elementary building in Gaylord. Both the City Council and the Danza Group believe that the existing Sibley East elementary and junior high school buildings on the Gaylord Campus can easily be renovated and transformed into a new state-of-the-art medical school.
The proposed medical school is expected to have an enrollment of 600 students. The medical school will add hundreds of professional and support service jobs to Gaylord and surrounding communities. The Gaylord City Council and the Danza Group plan to work together to stimulate the local economy, as other businesses related to medical education open offices in Gaylord.
According to Philip Keithahn, the Chairman & CEO of ProGrowth Bank, “Mr. Danza is a visionary in building medical schools. I have seen his unique medical school construction in Middletown, New York, and have been impressed with the collaboration he has formed with the community and with hospitals in the surrounding area. The student dormitories are integrated with the educational facility, which has improved each student’s learning experience. A new medical
school in Gaylord, Minnesota is more than a “win-win” for everyone. It is a life-changing economic development project for south central Minnesota.”
Keithahn further stated, “Gaylord’s easy access to Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as its rural location as the county seat for Sibley County are key factors that the Danza Group considered. Medical school students will be a valuable role model for young children as well as junior and senior high students who are considering careers in medicine. Mr. Danza has also been impressed with Gaylord’s commitment to invest in RS Fiber Cooperative’s public-private partnership to deliver an affordable fiber-optic broadband network to 10 cities and 17 townships across four counties in south central Minnesota. Medical education and health care today is increasingly dependent on high-speed internet access and Mr. Danza is excited about partnering with RS Fiber and its customers. Mr. Danza truly believes that “we all benefit when we work together.””
Tony Danza further stated that “I am very impressed with the quality of Minnesota’s outstanding educational system. The Sibley East school district has been recognized for innovative educational programs, and its teachers and administrators share my vision of investing in each child’s growth. Minnesota has a terrific reputation for post-secondary education. I look forward to connecting our medical school’s programs with high schools and colleges throughout the state. I have been equally impressed with the forward-thinking leaders of Minnesota’s hospitals who embrace medical education as a cornerstone for improving health care. A medical school in Gaylord, Minnesota will mean so much for the people and businesses here and the surrounding communities. Medical school students will become a valuable role model for our young children. They will have a professional medical school in their backyard, giving them an opportunity to work hard in school and see themselves as future doctors.”
According to a 2013 Associated Press report, “The population is aging and will begin using escalating amounts of health services at the same time as the physicians and related primary care workforce is also aging and will be retiring and leaving the work force. In addition, the federal health care overhaul will extend coverage to around 300,000 uninsured residents.” This speaks volumes to the immediate need to have another medical school in Minnesota.
The Danza Group is an accomplished developer of medical facilities. As the Mid-Atlantic’s foremost developer of decommissioned hospitals, it refocuses these buildings to help serve the expanding health care needs for numerous communities. The medical school campus will include over 125,000 square feet of classrooms and other learning centers, while the student dorms will eventually provide housing for over 300 students. The Danza Group will work with the City of Gaylord, local builders and developers, and various state and federal agencies during 2015 on plans for the medical school campus and related services for the community.
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