A new building on Stevens Point's east side is betting that patients want their massage therapist, acupuncturist and physical therapist all within walking distance of one another. Crossroads Health Building, located at 5609 Carrie Frost Drive, held an open house last Saturday, inviting the public in to tour individual suites and meet the eight independent practitioners now operating inside.
The building sits north of County Hwy. HH and east of County Hwy. R, kitty-corner from the Kohl's in Plover, though it technically falls within Stevens Point city limits, according to Point/Plover Metro Wire. The three-level property was built to bring together independent health and wellness providers under a single address, giving patients access to a range of services without driving across town for each one.
Longtime local businessman Fritz Schierl and Erica Ciulla, owner of Health and Wellness Connection, share ownership of the building and the land it sits on. Schierl, one of three brothers who own Team Schierl Companies alongside Tim Schierl and William Schierl, brought a retail background to the project, and the station's report notes he said the building's location and visibility were key considerations, with the hope that a high-traffic hub would boost awareness of the practitioners working there.
Eight Tenants, Room to Grow
The building's directory currently lists eight tenants: Raven and Rose Aesthetics, Renew Physical Therapy and Wellness, Health and Wellness Connection, Revolution Health, Hyperbaric Chamber, Divine Point Acupuncture, Ansei and Plover River Counseling. Schierl said eight practitioners are currently operating in the building, which has room for one or two more, per the same account.
Raven & Rose Aesthetics occupies Suite 201 inside the building, according to its listing on Fresha, which describes services ranging from precision brow shaping to full-body waxing and glam transformations. Down the hall, Health & Wellness Connection offers everything from IV infusions and injections to weight-loss services and hormone support, according to the practice's own website. New patients there face a consultation fee of either $30 or $59 at their initial visit, excluding hormone visits, per Health & Wellness Connection.
A Practice Born From Wanting More Collaboration
Ciulla previously worked at Adventure 212 before opening her own practice, Health and Wellness Connection, and the article reports she had long wanted a larger space for her business but struggled to find an existing building that fit her needs. She said Crossroads grew out of a desire to collaborate more closely with other providers, telling the outlet that having those professionals in the same building makes collaboration and referrals easier.
“Having those professionals in the same building makes collaboration and referrals easier,” Ciulla said, according to the report. She added that providers can work together to give patients opportunities for help from other practitioners, rather than patients having to seek out separate specialists on their own.
A Family Tie to Public Health
Schierl said Crossroads was meant to create a space for health care services that patients might not find through traditional medical providers. The project carries a personal thread for him as well: Schierl is the grandson of Ruth Gilfry, who served as Portage County's first public health nurse. The county's Health and Human Services building is named in Gilfry's honor, a detail the Point/Plover Metro Wire included as context for the family's long history in local health care.
With eight practices already settled in and space left for one or two more, the building's owners say they're looking forward to expanding Crossroads' offerings in the months ahead.
