By 1808Delaware
Summer’s swelter hasn’t slowed the crews assembling The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Outpatient Care Powell. From dawn till dusk, hard-hatted teams weave through steel corridors as the two-story health center and its five-story medical office building climb toward the sky at Home Road and Sawmill Parkway. At 56 percent complete, the $183 million project now resembles the full-service destination it will become when doors open in August 2026.
Inside the Build
- First floor: Mechanical, electrical and plumbing lines snake behind freshly hung drywall while sheetrockers finish long corridors that will soon guide urgent-care patients to imaging suites and procedure rooms.
- Second floor: Prefabricated DIRTT wall partitions lock into place—an efficient, Lego-like system that shortens construction timelines and allows easy future reconfiguration.
- Third floor: A chessboard of ceiling grids goes up overhead as electricians and HVAC specialists thread conduit and ductwork above.
- Throughout: Window installers seal the last panes at the north elevation; masons scrub fresh brick to its final clay-red hue. Only a handful of glass panels remain before the building envelope is weather-tight.
Out front, middle façade panels click into place while landscapers stage trees for planting. Within weeks, sidewalks will ribbon across the grounds, tying the campus to Sawmill Parkway’s running and cycling lanes.
Designed for Everyday Life
Powell’s new center mirrors Ohio State’s suburban siblings in New Albany and Dublin—but with its own local twist. The layout funnels patients from a covered drop-off zone into a two-story glass lobby that overlooks a courtyard framed by hardwoods and prairie grass. A café on the ground floor offers coffee and quick bites, while a retail pharmacy fills prescriptions before patients ever turn the ignition to go home.
Inside, surgeons will repair torn ACLs, gastroenterologists will navigate endoscopes, and therapists will guide athletes through physical and occupational rehab. If community needs shift, modular walls and shell space can pivot to new specialties without tearing down studs.
Economic Pulse for Powell
City leaders call the facility one of Powell’s largest economic-development wins. Beyond hundreds of construction jobs today, the site will anchor high-paying medical positions tomorrow, attracting satellite businesses—from cafés to childcare—to the corridor near Olentangy Liberty High School. Residents, meanwhile, gain big-city expertise minutes from their front doors, reducing the trek to downtown Columbus. For immediate therapy needs, neighbors can already visit Ohio State’s Outpatient Rehabilitation at the Powell YMCA on Liberty Road.
What Happens Next
- Early fall 2025—Exterior finishes wrap up; courtyards and walking paths are planted.
- Winter 2025-26—Interior build-out shifts to flooring, lighting, and medical-equipment installation.
- Spring 2026—Systems testing, staff training, and community-open-house planning begin.
- August 2026—Grand-opening ribbon is cut, welcoming the first patients.
Track the Transformation
Want a front-row seat? A live construction camera streams every beam lift and concrete pour around the clock. Watch progress unfold at the link below, and check back often to see Powell’s newest landmark come to life.
