Naples Community Hospital is one step closer to building its proposed five-story R.M. Schulze Family Cardiovascular and Stroke Critical Care Center in downtown Naples after the Naples City Council voted 4-1 in favor of the rezoning on Jan. 18.

The rezone involves the existing Baker Hospital and Telford Education Center changing from medical to public service. NCH has to prove that there is a legitimate community need and obligation being fulfilled that requires the proposed building height of 87 feet, exceeding the city’s height limit for commercial buildings of 42 feet.

The discussion Thursday started with Councilor Ray Christman recusing himself from any discussion or vote on the matter, citing that voting would be against the city’s ethics code that states any elected official should refrain from voting on or influencing a matter and might endure to their private gain or loss. Christman, who lives directly across from the proposed project, said this could affect the property value of his home.

“I wish I could be part of this discussion and vote, but it is clear to me that my public duty in this circumstance is to avoid any conflict of interest either in appearance or in reality, that is the essence of the concept of public trust,” Christman said. “I’m comfortable however, reluctantly, with my decision today, and I hope [it] will actually serve as a precedent for future actions by others in similar circumstances.”

The $200 million facility would be built at the current site of the Telford Education Center, south of Downtown Baker Hospital. Paul Hiltz, NCH CEO, spoke to the council on the importance of this new facility.

“We firmly believe there will be a talent shortage for doctors and all clinicians. We also believe that those organizations with the best facilities and equipment will be winners of that talent war, so to attract world-class doctors like we have here today, we have to provide facilities that are up to par with what those doctors are looking for,” Hiltz said.

NCH hired Sg2, a health care and hospital system consultancy, to provide the council with data proving the need for this facility in Collier County. Principal Manuel Hernandez with Sg2 presented that 50% of Collier County lives within 10 miles of the Baker Hospital and projected that there will be a 13% growth in need of heart and stroke care services within the county over the next decade, compared to an estimated 3% national average.

“All of this really speaks to the need for increased access for services, access that NCH is unable to provide in their current environments and spaces due to the need to expand some of those services,” Hernandez said.

The project would bring all of the hospital’s heart and stroke services into one five-story building. The ground floor of the new building will be open to allow access onto the campus and act as a replacement of the Telford building with space for administration and classrooms. The second floor will have operating rooms and two connections into the main hospital—one for visitors and one for doctors. Luke Johnson, vice president of CannonDesign, said this connection will cut the travel distance time to go from one building to the next by 75%.

The third floor will have the cardiology clinic and diagnostics and will help co-locate outpatient functions that are specific to heart and stroke patients, and fourth and fifth floors will have a total of 27 private patient rooms.

“We’ve not been able to provide all private rooms at NCH until this project,” Hiltz said. “This project will not only enhance cardiac and stroke care, but it will transform that campus into a private room campus, which is the kind of health care that we think Naples demands and deserves.”

Councilman Terry Hutchison was the lone vote against the rezone. He said he is in favor of the concept of providing a new facility, but against going outside of the city’s height provisions.

“I want this to happen, but I’m not willing to compromise the charming character of what made this community what it is today,” Hutchison said. “So let’s get it done, but let’s do it the right way.”

Councilman Ted Blankenship said he thinks this is the facility that the community of Naples deserves, and that the council should consider allowing the proposed parking garage to be 40 feet tall rather than 30, going against what the Planning Advisory Board requested in December. Councilor Paul Perry agreed. The garage is not part of the rezone petition and will be discussed during the second hearing as a companion item.

“I think it’s not fair or appropriate to suggest that a heart or stroke victim should park over by the Wellness Center on an upper floor of a parking garage and try to track down across the street to make it over to their follow-up appointment,” Blankenship said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate for Naples residents; I don’t think that’s appropriate for the people seeking care. I think we need to make sure they have parking available right there on site.”

Mayor Teresa Heitmann expressed favor of the project but said she would like to further discuss signage at the next meeting, saying that what is proposed is out of character for the community.

The next step for NCH is a second reading on Feb. 7, which also will include the conditional use permit and site plan in addition to the parking garage.

“This initiative is not just a building addition; it’s part of a transformation to put us in the elite health care organizations in the United States,” Hiltz said in front of council. “And we’re fully committed to doing that, and this is a big, big piece, and a big step forward to get there.”