San Antonio, TX, June 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. (MHM) announced today the development of Ministry Park, a transformative initiative designed to enhance access to care and elevate an experience of renewal for patients, staff, and residents of the South Texas Medical Center.
Located on approximately 16 acres in the heart of the South Texas Medical Center—bounded by Wurzbach Road, Floyd Curl Drive, and Medical Drive—Ministry Park is being built to serve as a long-term resource for community benefit. The development represents a significant step forward in advancing health equity by removing affordable lodging as a barrier to care.
Ministry Park was envisioned by MHM’s Board of Directors as a strategic investment aligned with the organization’s mission of serving humanity to honor God. The initiative reflects MHM’s commitment to improving the wellness of the least served by addressing a barrier that prevents patients from receiving it.
“This is an exciting development for the South Texas Medical Center that will create a place of restoration and hope for those traveling to the area for much needed care, as well as those working and living in the area,” said Jaime Wesolowski, President & CEO of MHM. “Ministry Park will help make the Medical Center’s renowned services more accessible to patients and families traveling long distances for specialized care.”
To bring this vision to life, MHM established MHM Realco, a faith-based, mission-driven real estate company harnessing MHM’s resources to create places in which all can thrive. The new entity is responsible for planning, development, and oversight of the property. Led by President & CEO Christian E. Oviatt, and governed by a dedicated Board of Directors, MHM Realco is tasked with ensuring that every aspect of the development reflects MHM’s values and long-term community focus.
“This is more than a real estate project—it’s a long-term investment in community health,” said Oviatt. “We are curating this property to create a place where patients, families, healthcare professionals, and the broader community can thrive.”
The first phase of development will include a 250+ room, dual-branded Home 2 Suites and Hilton Garden Inn designed to address the critical need for affordable lodging. Each year, thousands of patients are referred to San Antonio for specialized care—often requiring extended stays that are out of reach financially for many families.
A defining purpose in this project is MHM’s commitment to making this property available and affordable for those who need it most: a dedicated number of rooms will be offered at significantly reduced rates—up to and including no cost—for families who demonstrate financial need. The Ministry Park hotel amplifies the existing efforts of places such as the Ronald McDonald House and American Cancer Society Hope Lodge to ensure that more visitors to the South Texas Medical Center can access high-quality, affordable accommodations close to their care providers.
A second key element of the first phase of development are plans to include a public park & streetscape adjacent to the hotel. Designed by TBG Partners, the park would feature 15,000 square feet of public, accessible green space — a 2,400 sf central lawn for gatherings of up to 150 people, a shaded arrival plaza, nature exploration areas, a rain garden, a water feature, and a boardwalk. The streetscape at the entrance along Wurzbach Road would add shade trees, pedestrian lighting, benches, and specialty paving — creating a more walkable, pedestrian-centered experience to a busy medical center.
“The exceptional hospital and specialty care found in the South Texas Medical Center, combined with the unparalleled and rapidly expanding research have made the Medical Center an important center for compassionate healthcare, healing and discovery,” said Richard Perez, President of the San Antonio Medical Center Foundation. “The Ministry Park development will help fill that critical gap that still exists for affordable lodging for individuals and families facing therapy, treatment and recovery.”
A groundbreaking ceremony is currently being planned for August 2026 where construction timelines and additional project details will be announced.
The hotel at Ministry Park directly supports MHM’s strategic plan by addressing a critical gap in affordable lodging for patients and families traveling long distances for specialized medical care not available in their home communities. By reducing affordable lodging as a treatment barrier, the initiative aims to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities for patients who would otherwise go without critical care.
Strategically located within the South Texas Medical Center, and zoned for mixed use, Ministry Park is uniquely positioned to meet both healthcare and commercial needs. Beyond lodging, future phases of the project will be guided by continued community engagement and best practices from medical center developments across the country.
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About Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.
Methodist Healthcare Ministries broadens the definition of health care by providing low-cost clinical care for the uninsured and by supporting community-led efforts that improve living conditions that cause people to be sick in the first place. We use our earnings as co-owners of Methodist Healthcare to ensure that people who are economically disadvantaged and uninsured can live their healthiest lives. We do this by advocating for, investing in, and providing access to quality clinical care and addressing factors that affect health—including economic mobility, supportive relationships, food security, broadband access, and safe neighborhoods. Ultimately, we fulfill our mission of “Serving Humanity to Honor God” by advancing health equity so that more individuals and families living in the 74 counties we serve can thrive.
About Methodist Healthcare Ministries affiliate MHM Realco
MHM Realco is a faith-based, mission-driven real estate company harnessing our resources to create places in which all can thrive.
- Rendering of Ministry Park