Inova acquires 35 acres next to Fairfax Hospital
Inova Health System is expanding its already-large footprint in Northern Virginia. Inova has purchased approximately 35 acres of land on Gallows Road currently occupied by the Amberleigh apartments adjacent to the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus. [Correction: Inova acquired the land, not the apartment complex.]
“Inova has no immediate plans for the land and will have no role in operation of the housing units for the duration of the term of the ground lease,” Inova announced Oct. 4. “The purchase of the land will not have any effect on the ground lease, the ownership of the apartments, or the current residents.”
The lease is held by RBDW Amberleigh LLC. The land and the 752-unit apartment community are valued at $83.7 million, according to Fairfax County tax records. The apartments were built in 1962.
Inova is eyeing the property for future development, however.
“Given the clear strategic location relative to other Inova resources, this is truly a once-in-a-generation opportunity to establish a foundation for long-term growth in support of Inova’s mission,” said Inova Health System President and CEO J. Stephen Jones.
The hospital and the Amberleigh site are across Gallows Road from the Inova Center for Personalized Health, which consists of the Inova Schar Cancer Institute and other health facilities, located on the former ExxonMobil campus. Inova purchased that property in 2015.
Some time ago a group of Falls Church ophthalmologists were trying to buy a parcel of land near Inova Hospital in Merrifield to build a private surgery center for eye operations. They said they could do operations more cheaply than in facilities controlled by Inova. Virginia had a law that surgery centers must be located near a hospital. But there was also a law that gave Inova the ability to block any private medical group from buying property near their facilities by buying the property themselves. That was what they did in that case.
Purchase of these apartments to allow for future expansion sounds nice but it also has the effect of limiting competition.
How long is the term of the current ground lease?
Inova has completely taken oven. I don’t believe the smaller medical businesses have a chance against Inova. I am surprised that Reston hospital is not yet part of Inova!!!
Reston Hospital Center is part of the HCA system. I doubt that INOVA will be taking that system over.
HCA is a nightmare. Sorry to hear that Reston Hospital is stuck in that system.
At this rate, in the not-too-distant future, Fairfax County itself will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Inova Health System (provided that Amazon doesn’t gobble up the County first).
I took my kid to get stitches at the Inova ER in Arlington. Nothing too deep or crazy.
$5000 bill for 10 stitches. I have great insurance and a low deductible. I paid about $1300 out of pocket. To quote my wife (figuratively), “blow it all up and start again.” But apparently they’re growing.
Stephanie, I didn’t think Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington was part of the Inova system. I know VHC is affiliated with the Mayo Clinic. ER’s are terribly expensive but when you need their services what can you do but pay the fee.
I agree with Katie that Inova has gotten to big and is stifling competition. The Department of Justice should take a look at Inova’s multiple expansions and break up the group.
This saddens me immensely. The larger INOVA grows, the less care is given to the patients. I have seen a tremendous decline in care by INOVA over the years. Many of my doctors, whom I’ve had for decades, have been forced to join INOVA or forced to retire because of INOVA. Those who joined INOVA so they could continue to practice in their field have been forced to choose between treating their patients as a number or considering leaving the practice all together. This is NOT a good thing for the people. It is getting harder and harder to find excellence in the medical practices anymore. 🙁
I have lived here all of my life and I agree with all of you, INOVA offers less care for the patients and is offering our community nothing of great value. What is it about these laws? What can our community do to bring back great health care?
But when will the ground lease end? We used to live in Amberleigh….that place is a mess and should be torn down…..rat infested, apartments/townhouses leaking, applicances always broken, AC never working….it was horrible, maybe it wont be so bad to get rid of.
Good point! Or maybe if they own the land they should put some skin(ie. Money) in the game and renovate those apts. and Townhouses! They were always ideal for medical residents and their families to live in because of the location.
Amberleigh Apartments may be issues but the neighbors are great.
We do have rats but we also have trashy people that puts their trash out on Fridays and Saturdays. Trash pickup is Monday thru Thursday.
They also will feed the animals.
Sorry but it takes a village!!!
Given the ongoing need for affordable housing that’s also near Metro, as part of any redevelopment INOVA should be required to build new housing on a portion of the property, with a good chunk of it being affordable/workforce housing. Some of their own employees likely would live there if they did, helping reduce traffic, etc.
No more affordable housing until crime decreases. Don’t care about traffic because everyone teleworks now. Northern Virginia will go the way of California in no time flat.
Do you ever go out during rush hour? Everyone does not work from home as evidenced by the traffic on the roads between 8 – 11 am and 2:30 – 7:30 pm.
I agree! There is already lots of traffic in this area.
Good point! Or maybe if they own the land they should put some skin(ie. Money) in the game and renovate those apts. and Townhouses! They were always ideal for medical residents and their families to live in because of the location.