Information on the birth center!

This was posted on the local API list, I'll c&p it here. Looks like October!

Dear Friends,

So much is happening during this busy time, and I have admittedly been remiss in relaying progress updates with you all regarding the new Morning Star Birth Center!

We are thrilled to welcome Kristine Lauria, our new midwife, to the Morning Star staff! Kristine is a Certified Professional Midwife with a wealth of experience and knowledge. Kristine has been a primary midwife since 1992, has attended more than 900 deliveries and has precepted many student midwives both in the US and abroad.. See Kristine's full bio at www.MorningStarBirth.com under the "Meet Your Midwives" page. Kristine will be the primary full-time midwife at the new St. Louis Park location. She and I will be working closely together during these summer months (when I'm not away for family weddings or special birthdays!) until the new facility is up and running smoothly.

On June 8th, due to the increasing number of Twin Cities' clients starting care with Morning Star, we began scheduling prenatal appointments at Blooma in Edina (www.Blooma.com). Blooma is a great resource for pregnant mothers, offering prenatal yoga, classes and other groups! Minnesota families can call Morning Star (at our Menomonie office) to schedule a prenatal appointment or consultation. We see clients there on Mondays and every other Saturday.

Perhaps you already know, but I had chosen to purchase property rather than renting space for the new birth center, and have been in the process of purchasing property at 6111 Excelsior Boulevard in St. Louis Park since February. I know, I know, leasing a space would have been a much quicker process, but I intend for Morning Star to be around for a long, long time, and didn't want the insecurity of having to relocate because the property owner wouldn't/couldn't renew a lease! No one anticipated that financing would take so long, but we are happy to tell you that TODAY, July 1, we received the financing commitment letter from the bank and are on track to close the deal!! During these uncertain and volatile economic times, this has been a huge hurtle, and we are thrilled to be moving forward!

Well, the next logical question is?."When will it be open?!?" Disappointingly, we also just found out during a Phase II environmental inspection, that asbestos was found in various parts of the building. Obviously, this presents an unanticipated problem, one of cost and an additional time delay. We expect the seller to assume all, if not most of the cost of the abatement, and rest assured, I will not compromise any standard of safety and quality, and the job will be done right, even if it takes some extra weeks.

So, while we are anxiously waiting for closing documents to be readied, the architect's plans are being brought to the City for final approvals, sub-contractors are bidding their various jobs, I am selecting finishing materials, fixtures and equipment, in addition to planning marketing and public relations, selecting and securing a birth center advisory board, and preparing for accreditation! To say we are busy moving this project forward is an understatement!

We are anticipating a closing date of no later than July 30. After that, I have been assured that construction will take 6-8 weeks. In the meantime, Morning Star is looking for a temporary home in or very near St. Louis Park. We need a dedicated space, residential or (appropriately) commercial on a short-term basis, as we only need it through September, while we're waiting for our "permanent' home to be finished! Please email our office if you have any information on a property that might suit our needs. You can also telephone us at 715.231.3100.

Thank you all for your support and patience, and most of all, your encouragement and enthusiasm during the "birthing" of the first modern Twin Cities Freestanding Birth Center! I am proud of and humbled by the task before me, and look forward to celebrating with you at our Grand Opening!! Join our Facebook page "Morning Star Women's Health and Birth Center" and spread the word!

Paula Bernini Feigal, CPM
Certified Professional Midwife
Director
Morning Star Women's Health and Birth Center
info@morningstarbirth.com
715-231-3100
www.morningstarbirth.com