DEARBORN – For many decades, the corner of Schaefer Road and Michigan Avenue in Dearborn was a thriving commercial area and the site of various stores including a Montgomery Ward department store.

Now, the corner has been re-imagined as the new Dearborn Town Center, an $80-million dollar project.

The centerpiece of the project is the 160,000 square-feet Midwest Medical Center, an Oakwood Hospitals-affiliated, state-of-the-art complex that plans to open on January 3, 2011.

Midwest Medical Center held its official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 16 featuring salutes to those who helped make it possible including local politicians and officials from REDICO, aka Real Estate Development and Investment Company, which built the facility.

The Dearborn Town Center project was made possible through the city of Dearborn’s initial $3.35 million purchase in 2005 of the former Montgomery Ward property using tax credits from the Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA), the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority (EDDDA), the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, tax increment financing funds, and through recovery bonds provided by Wayne County.

Dr. Mark Saffer, who established the Midwest Medical Center corporation in 1981 and, spoke at the ribbon-cutting event, became emotional after describing his original vision for the facility and his goal of putting more medical personnel back to work during trying times. It is expected that about 300 jobs will be retained thanks to the creation of the center and 200 more will be added.

Saffer will oversee the day-to-day operations of the facility, which includes more than 25 specialties in one location and employ more than 60 highly-skilled physicians.

Specialties include neurology, cardiology, outpatient surgery, and many others. About 100 senior living spaces are also planned as well as retail shops.

Other special features will include a 24/7 urgent care center, a restaurant, free senior services including hearing screenings, blood pressure checks, health and nutrition materials and more, and occupational medicine services including on-the-job injury care and physical therapy.

“Today, by welcoming Midwest to the Oakwood family, we are better able to meet the needs of those who come to us for care,” said Oakwood President and CEO Brian Connolly.

“Our patients and community at-large will be well-served by this new facility and the specialty services provided here.”

Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly said that its presence could be important for the well-being of the area’s business district as well.

The facility also plans an enhanced community outreach and education program and features bilingual staff members with Arabic language materials available.

Parking at the center is free at the site’s new $10.8 million, 530-space parking center.  For more information, visit www.oakwood.com/midwest or call 313.581.2600.