By Roger McKinney

rmckinney@joplinglobe.com

GALENA, Kan. — Orthopaedic Specialists of the Four States has announced an expansion of its plans for a new medical-office building.

When a ceremonial groundbreaking was held in September 2008, a 35,000- to 38,000-square-foot medical office building was planned, with a price tag between $4 million and $5 million.

Joe Caputo, administrator for Ortho Four States, said plans now call for a 50,000-square-foot center with medical offices, a surgical center and magnetic resonance imaging services. The estimated cost is $8 million.

After the groundbreaking, there was no activity for several months at the site on the eastern edge of Galena. In the past few weeks, heavy equipment has moved in to begin dirt work. Caputo said the construction delay was the result of new plans being developed.

“We’re hoping to have the clinic open toward the end of December 2009,” he said.

Caputo said that even with the expanded plans, the building will be only the start.

“What I think will happen eventually is we’ll build a surgical hospital on the site,” he said. “This is just phase one.”

Ortho Four States has outgrown its current offices at 1111 McIntosh Circle, Suite B, in Joplin, Mo., Dr. Brian Ipsen said at the groundbreaking ceremony. Dr. Christopher Banwart said at the time that Galena was an attractive location because doctors would save 50 percent on malpractice insurance by being based in Kansas, as compared with Missouri.

Besides Banwart and Ipsen, doctors in the group are Jonathan Grantham, John Ogden, Terry Schwab, Robert Stringer and Paul Toma.

A second spine surgeon, James D. Smith, will join the group in August, Caputo said. Dr. Mark McNemar will join the group in the summer of 2010.

“The group continues to grow,” Caputo said.

The doctors have privileges at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin.

Ipsen said at the groundbreaking that the medical office would employ 50 to 60 people, some of whom would transfer from Joplin. It was not clear Wednesday whether the number of employees would increase with the expanded project.