SSM Health is planning to build a new healthcare facility in Warrenton on the east side of the Schnucks parking lot.

The medical office will be over 15,500 square feet, with its own parking area accessible from Veterans Memorial Parkway and Highway 47, according to information released by the Warrenton city government. The rear of the health center will be directly behind the Petro-Mart gas station and Club Carwash.

SSM representative Ryan Selsor explained plans for the new facility to the Warrenton Board of Aldermen in July. He said the new building will be an outpatient center with various capabilities including primary care, physical therapy, lab testing and x-ray scans.

The new facility will provide SSM with room to expand its services and will be owned by SSM, rather than leased space, said Gerry Kaiser, another of SSM’s representatives.

“What we’re doing is consolidating some of the services that exist already and expanding,” Kaiser said. “We’re allowing for expansion in the future because it sounds like there’s going to be a lot of growth in the community.”

The only objection that has been raised against the facility is that it is being built within an Interstate 70 corridor district that the city of Warrenton had previously dedicated for heavy retail use. Developments within the I-70 district are typically required to have 50 percent of their space dedicated to retail sales.

However, the board of aldermen voted 4-1 in July to waive that requirement because city staff had not previously informed SSM of that condition before the company drafted and presented plans for the development for approval.

“I understand it’s our fault and we dropped the ball. But we’re also the ones who put this in place, and that’s what bothers me. We did not catch it,” said Board of Aldermen President Jack Crump. He was the sole vote against allowing the planned facility to proceed.