BayCare Health System has purchased a longstanding Barnes & Noble bookstore property in west St. Petersburg for $10 million, with plans to transform it into a freestanding emergency center. The acquisition, recorded on January 29th, involves a 15,456-square-foot building located at 2501 Tyrone Boulevard North, across from Tyrone Square Mall.

The purchase marks BayCare’s second Barnes & Noble property acquisition in the Tampa Bay area. In 2024, the non-profit healthcare organization bought a closed Barnes & Noble location in Carrollwood for $10.5 million, which it plans to convert into an urgent care facility.

The St. Petersburg Barnes & Noble has operated at its current location for 33 years. Representatives from the bookstore chain have not yet confirmed closure dates or potential relocation plans.

Project Financing and Regional Expansion

The emergency room project is part of BayCare’s broader regional expansion strategy. In August 2024, Pinellas County approved $1.9 billion in municipal bonds for BayCare’s growth initiatives, including $30 million specifically allocated for constructing and equipping the new emergency facility at the Tyrone Boulevard location.

Strategic Location

The two-acre property is strategically positioned within BayCare’s existing network:

• Less than a mile from BayCare’s Urgent Care center on 66th Street North
• Approximately 1.5 miles from HCA Florida St. Petersburg Hospital
• Complements the Bardmoor Emergency Center, a BayCare facility affiliated with Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater

Expanding Emergency Care Access

Freestanding emergency departments provide the same services as traditional hospital-based emergency rooms but offer several advantages:

• More streamlined patient processing
• Strategic placement in residential areas
• Improved accessibility
• Reduced wait times

This development is part of BayCare’s ongoing expansion of emergency services in the Tampa Bay area. The organization is currently developing additional freestanding emergency departments in south Lakeland and on Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa.

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(Image credit: Google Maps/BayCare Health Systems rendering)