BayCare Health System has filed plans with the City of Tampa to convert a former CVS pharmacy on South Dale Mabry Highway into a freestanding emergency department, part of a broader shift by health systems to move emergency care closer to where patients live.
The project would redevelop the former retail building at 102 S. Dale Mabry Highway into a 13,305-square-foot emergency care facility with a declared construction value of $9 million, according to city records.
Property records show BayCare Properties LLC purchased the site for $6 million in February 2025. The one-story building was constructed in 2004.
The interior would be rebuilt as a medical facility with exam rooms, CT and radiology imaging suites, a trauma room, laboratory services and administrative space.
The renovation includes medical air systems and emergency electrical infrastructure required for emergency operations. Plans also call for two new exterior canopies, including a covered ambulance drop-off area and a separate entrance for patients and visitors.
Project documents identify the facility as a freestanding emergency department affiliated with St. Joseph’s Hospital, part of BayCare Health System.
The South Tampa project comes as healthcare real estate continues to attract capital nationwide.
Cushman & Wakefield reported that investment in medical outpatient buildings topped $14 billion in 2025, up 34% year over year, as health systems expanded outpatient facilities closer to residential areas.
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The firm said the sector’s fundamentals, pricing and income returns strengthened as the market entered 2026.
The filing suggests BayCare is continuing to expand neighborhood-based sites capable of providing higher-acuity care outside traditional hospital campuses. BayCare is the largest not-for-profit health system in West Central Florida, operating 16 hospitals and employing nearly 33,000 people.
What we still don’t know
BayCare did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The health system has not said when construction could begin or when the South Tampa emergency department might open. It also has not disclosed how many treatment rooms the facility would include or how many employees would staff it.
Permit records identify the project as a freestanding emergency department tied to St. Joseph’s Hospital, but they do not specify how the site would be staffed or operated day-to-day.
It is also not yet clear whether the Dale Mabry project is a one-off conversion or part of a broader BayCare strategy to expand freestanding emergency care across Tampa Bay.
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