Oakdale To Get New Animal Care Specialty Center This Fall

OAKDALE, MN —A new specialty animal care center affiliated with the Animal Emergency & Referral Center (AERC) of Minnesota is scheduled to open in Oakdale this fall, according to Oppidan Investment Company, the property development firm that is overseeing the project.

According to Oppidan, ground was broken on the new AERC specialty center last August. The 45,000-square-foot facility is expected to have three floors and will feature veterinary offices and state-of-the-art technical spaces, including exam rooms, MRI and CT rooms and additional surgical suites.

KOMA is the project's architect, while RJM is responsible for the construction of the facility.

"This is more than a specialty center for pets. We're also building hope, relief and peace of mind for families throughout the Midwest because their best friends will receive the high-quality emergency and specialty care they need, when they need it most," said Blake Hastings, Oppidan's president.

This will be Excelsior-based Oppidan's first foray into the medical office industry.

The company said its role in the Oakdale project has included: conducting project management through bidding, contract administration and contract negotiation.

During construction, Oppidan said its work on the AERC specialty center has involved project administration and oversight to ensure the project is completed on time and on budget.

Hastings said working in the medical office industry requires extensive knowledge about technical aspects of the medical field.

"For example, medical gas locations and connection matter," Hastings said. "Coordination of sophisticated equipment is the key to a successful project. Understanding how MRI and CT equipment operates and how they need to be installed, what other building services need to be connected, and how to protect patients and staff from harmful side effects is critical. All of this requires skilled professionals who can manage the process with ease."