Published By: The Journal Record – October 3, 2024
Written By: Kathryn McNutt
OKLAHOMA CITY — Construction of a locally owned collective centered on holistic health and wellness will begin next week on a 7-acre site along Broadway Extension in north Oklahoma City.
Unison OKC is the first development by health care entrepreneur Clay Steves, Unison founder and CEO. It will offer pad sites for medical practitioners and businesses with a focus on health and wellness. Tenants, customers and the surrounding community will have access to an event center, connected walkways and green spaces.
“Unison takes a traditional healthcare business and places it in a one-of-a-kind space that will truly support wellness and healing,” Steves said during a groundbreaking event Thursday. The vision is to bring together like-minded, health-conscience businesses that will offer customers and patients services for “the restoration of body, mind and soul.”
Construction of the parking and infrastructure and restoration of the pond on the site will begin next week and is expected to take about six months, Steves said.
In addition to providing pad space for private business owners, Unison will open its grounds to the surrounding community, which includes KIPP OKC College Prep at 8400 N Robinson Ave.
KIPP Superintendent Michael Carter thanked Unison for inviting school leaders into the process early on to discuss how the development could benefit the students and the neighborhood. Students will be able to fish and have science classes at the pond and to learn about health care and wellness from the professionals who office in the collective, Carter said.
“There are limitless possibilities. They are already working with the principal for the fall festival,” he said. “Developers often build walls. Here we’re building bridges.”
Oklahoma City Ward 2 Councilman James Cooper said he was thrilled about the services being offered to the residents of North Highland neighborhood, which has suffered from gang violence for decades.
“It is great to see such intentional design taking into consideration the families and individuals who attend the neighborhood school and live in the surrounding community while allowing public access to features like the pond and walkways – along with the expanded health resources,” Cooper said.
Longtime neighborhood resident Ella Jackson saw the activity at the site and came to see what was happening. Jackson said restoring the pond and building the fishing dock will be great for the kids. Her family fished in the pond years ago, she said. Jackson also said having health and mental health services so close will be good for her neighbors, many of whom rely on public transportation.
The collective is designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris and will be constructed by Oklahoma-based Lingo Construction Services.
Each business will be responsible for hiring its own architect and contractor to construct a building tailored to its needs while following some guidelines for a cohesive appearance, Steves said.
Unison OKC is locally owned and primarily backed by investors who are local healthcare practitioners and leaders. Steves brings nearly 20 years of healthcare-related experience to the organization. He is the founder and owner of Restoration Group and Habakkuk, both of which are set to be tenants at the Unison OKC development.