ST. LOUIS — A new community health center is being built in Dutchtown to provide residents with equitable access to health care thanks to Family Care Health Centers (FCHC).

The organization offers affordable, accessible and comprehensive primary care services to its patients. FCHC has two locations open to the public, Carondelet and Forest Park, according to Kyra Neubauer, marketing and PR manager for FCHC.

The pharmacy at the Carondelet facility offers medication delivery.

It has two other facilities that are open to those who belong to Rung for Women and Places for People organizations.

The new community health center will be located on the former site of St. Anthony’s Hospital, at the corner of Grand and Chippewa, a vital spot for reaching Dutchtown residents, Neubauer said.

FCHC reports 27% of Dutchtown’s 26,621 population is without a vehicle.

The facility will be visible to traffic being at the corner of Grand and Chippewa and will be close to public transportation, according to Ross Welch, project manager and associate with Trivers, the St. Louis-based architecture firm to design the building. 

“Being able to be closer to (the residents) is critical for access,” Neubauer said.

She mentioned a percentage of residents also are facing poor health outcomes, battling high blood pressure, low birth weight, diabetes, mental health issues and more.  

Similar to the Carondelet and Forest Park locations, the new community health center will provide primary care such as pediatrics, geriatrics and women’s health, behavioral health, nutrition, including a special supplemental nutrition program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and pharmaceutical services.

The behavioral health services also will be available for the public and not just for FCHC patients, she said, which is a new offering for the organization.

The pharmacy additionally will provide home deliveries to patients.

For the facility’s design, FCHC partnered with Trivers, a St. Louis-based architecture, planning, urban design and interiors firm, for the project.

The exterior design of the health center will feature subtle masonry work to complement the legacy of St. Louis brickwork found throughout the Dutchtown neighborhood. 

There will be contemporary metal panels with a color scheme on the second floor. Inside will consist of patient services on the first floor where there will be large daylight openings for natural light.

“The way that we helped organize the floor plan and make sure that it’s an effective way for them to see patients and to operate their clinic is really important for us and we’re excited about the way that all came together,” Welch said.

The second floor will be space for staff, including an organization-wide training area, a suite for administrative offices and an expansive staff lounge that flows into a south-facing rooftop terrace.

Welch said the natural lighting was an important element not just for patients, but for the staff too, in addition to other aspects to nature in the staff lounge and terrace. 

Next door is Habitat for Humanity of St. Louis’ administrative offices and one of its ReStore locations.

FCHC’s care model focuses on the patient and makes sure they are receiving the right care during and after visits, according to Neubauer.

“We are very good at our health outcomes, so that’s a plus,” she said.

FCHC takes Medicaid and will help uninsured patients receive Medicaid, in addition to those who are underinsured.

FCHC is looking to hire community members for a variety of positions for the new community health center, including physicians, nurses, social workers, registered dieticians, WIC certifiers, front desk, records management and more.

There will be job fairs in the future, she said.

A groundbreaking was held last month with plans to open in June 2026.

FCHC is currently accepting new patients.