El Rio Health will be moving into the former Tucson Heart Hospital on the city’s north side.
El Rio Health, Meridian and Tenet Healthcare have reached an agreement for El Rio to occupy the vacant 94,569-square-foot building at 4888 N. Stone Ave. for $8 million in a 20-year, lease-to-own deal.
Local broker Richard Kleiner, with Picor, initiated and negotiated the deal on behalf of both parties.
Remodeling construction is expected to begin later this month, with completion expected in early 2026.
The interior of the former hospital will be demolished and rebuilt, the central utility plant will be rebuilt, and a new roof, heating, cooling and fire sprinkler system will be installed along with a new parking lot.
This will be El Rio’s 15th location in the Tucson area for the medical, dental and behavioral health service provider that has been a local presence for more than 50 years.
The new facility is expected to serve about 24,000 people a year.
“The growing needs in this area of our city are high and we have worked over the last several years on how and where to expand our services. We are excited for this opportunity to better serve Tucsonans and greatly appreciate the community support we receive,” said Clinton Kuntz, CEO of El Rio Health.
The El Rio Foundation plans to launch a fundraising campaign in early 2025 to engage private individual, corporate and foundation support for the expansion project. The foundation has already received support from the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation, among other local donors.
The former Tucson Heart Hospital opened in Tucson in 1997.
It became Carondelet Heart & Vascular Institute in 2010, and Carondelet moved the institute to St. Mary’s Hospital, 1601 W. St. Mary’s Road, in 2012. The building, near River Road, has been vacant since that time.
