Historic Eau Claire Landmark Begins New Chapter Focused on Education, Training and Innovation
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (June 23, 2026) – The former Sacred Heart Hospital has been acquired by a newly formed nonprofit organization and rebranded as 900 District, a health, education, innovation and wellness campus that has already secured commitments from several anchor partners.
900 District encompasses an approximately 600,000-square-foot facility and 25 acres of surrounding land available for future development aligned with the project’s vision. While the current structure’s exterior will remain largely unchanged, its purpose is being completely reimagined.
For more than a century, the site served the region as a place of healing and innovation. The 900 District builds on that legacy by shifting the focus from treating illness to advancing lifelong health, education, and human flourishing.
At the center of the vision is a simple but ambitious goal: helping people maximize the years they live in good health. The mission is to close the gap between lifespan and healthspan – the years of life spent healthy, active, and engaged. To achieve that goal, 900 District aims to create one of the nation’s most innovative community-centered ecosystems focused on health, education, entrepreneurship, discovery, and human flourishing.
Several collaborating organizations announced plans to establish a presence within 900 District, including:
HeartWorks, Chippewa Valley Technical College, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, True Wellness, YMCA of the Chippewa Valley
Additional organizations and partnerships are currently being explored as planning continues. Among the signature features envisioned for 900 District are:
-An advanced Imaging Center
-The HUB – a collaborative innovation environment bringing together medical device manufacturers, biomedical innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, students, faculty, and industry partners
-Education and workforce development programs focused on healthcare and emerging technologies
-Additional health, wellness, training, innovation, and community-focused tenants and development opportunities
The project is led by local entrepreneurs and philanthropists Zach Halmstad and Jason Wudi, along with Tim Nelson of HeartWorks. The founding members are actively working with a broad network of healthcare, educational, business, and community partners to establish programs and services within 900 District.
The founding members believe the facility’s scale, history, and strategic location provide a unique opportunity to create a destination unlike any other in the region.
“The legacy of the people who have dedicated their lives to helping others in this location will be remembered for generations by our community” said Wudi. “The folks in these walls have always been dedicated to helping people live better lives, and this will be true going forward as well. While what happens on this campus will be radically different from its days as a hospital, health and well-being will remain at the center of everything that happens here.”
Organizations, developers, entrepreneurs, educators, healthcare providers, and community partners interested in learning more about opportunities within 900 District are encouraged to contact:
Stuart Schaefer
NAI Commonweal
stuart@naicommonweal.com
715-318-8662
Eliott Paetzold
NAI Commonweal
eliott@naicommonweal.com
715-318-8661
About 900 District
900 District is a reimagined health, education, innovation, and wellness campus located at the former Sacred Heart Hospital site in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Encompassing approximately 600,000 square feet and 25 acres of development-ready land, 900 District brings together healthcare, education, business, and community partners around a shared vision – to align healthspan with lifespan. For more information, visit 900district.org.
