POST FALLS — A zone change for Prairie Medical Center in Post Falls was unanimously approved by the Post Falls City Council on Tuesday to allow a hospital bed tower for inpatient care. 

The zoning change for the 30.88-acre parcel from community commercial services (CCS) to community commercial mixed (CCM) zoning would allow construction of a bed tower higher than 45 feet tall on the Prairie Medical site. 

“Our first phase is an emergency department with 14 beds,” Ben McGrann said on behalf of North Idaho Healthcare Holdings representing MultiCare and Kootenai Health. “We’re going to have an advanced imaging center, a connected lobby and then our medical office building.” 

The first phase of the project is expected to be completed in the end of 2027 and first part of 2028. 

“The reason we want to be able to go vertically up to six stories is, which this would allow, is really just the efficient use of the space,” McGrann said.

The vertical bed tower would allow the design to reduce the site coverage and allow for open space for walking trails and gardens for patients and visitors.

Located at the southeast corner of West Prairie Avenue and Highway 41, the future hospital will have a capacity of 250 beds and cover 500,000 square feet and the medical office building will encompass 300,000 square feet. 

A study will analyze how ambulance traffic will affect the area. 

“I’d like to see more of the traffic plan that went in,” Councilor Marc Lucca said.  “I know ITD is looking to widen it, but there’s a school right there. There’s a shopping center that’s going in. Now, there’s going to be more traffic.” 

McGrann said the master plan for the hospital brought everything back to meeting certain goals with the footage of populated land of the parcel. 

“The idea is that we’ve anchored ourselves into the southwest corner and that we will expand to the northeast as the project progresses over the next 10 to15 years,” McGrann said.

City Councilor Samantha Steigleder said she was concerned about six stories surrounded by R1. The timeline of waiting up to 10 years to have the zoning change acted upon also made her uneasy. 

“If something were to happen and you didn’t own this land anymore, they would by right have the ability to build whatever they wanted up to that height as well,” Steigleder said. 

She conceded that the plan “seemed reasonable and beneficial for the community” and stated she didn’t see any reason that the Prairie Medical project would be denied for a later zoning change. 

Discussion of underground parking rather than vertical parking for the site is being considered in the design to preserve green space.  

When examining the elements needed to either approve or deny the zoning change, Council Chairman Joe Malloy said it meets the requirements. 

“One of the criteria is to promote the health of the community and this literally does that,” Malloy said. 

    Samantha Steigleder