Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, 10 a.m., MBN was on the road to 1004 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing (at the old Rite Aid at corner of Michigan and Pennsylvania) as UM Health-Sparrow opens new pharmacy to address need in downtown Lansing.
This first video shares highlights of the remarks shared by dignitaries that day before the ribbon cutting ceremony.
The second video features a pair of interviews following the ribbon cutting and remarks shared by dignitaries.
Downtown Lansing has been a pharmacy desert since the closing of a Rite Aid. Now, UM Health-Sparrow is addressing that issue by announcing the opening of a pharmacy/Urgent Care / Occupational Health Services in the renovated and rejuvenated old Rite Aid. It’s part of their commitment to the community to provide access to care and protect everyone’s health. They marked the occasion with a big celebration featuring UM Health-Sparrow leaders, Mayor Andy Schor and others.
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UM Health-Sparrow News: New pharmacy, urgent care and occ health building opens in downtown Lansing
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow has officially opened its new downtown Lansing location, transforming the former Rite Aid at Michigan and Pennsylvania avenues (left) into a modern healthcare hub that addresses the city’s “pharmacy desert.” The new facility—now home to a full-service pharmacy, urgent care, and occupational health center—revitalizes a once-vacant property that had filled nearly 100,000 prescriptions annually before Rite Aid’s closure. With extended weekday and weekend hours, a drive-through window, and a convenient CATA bus stop nearby, the site is designed to make healthcare access simpler and more equitable for Lansing residents.
UM Health-Sparrow Regional President Margaret Dimond (left) said the health system felt a responsibility to restore pharmacy access after Rite Aid’s 2024 closure left residents without nearby options. “As the region’s leading healthcare provider, we had to confront the pharmacy desert and rectify the situation,” she said. Pharmacy Director Todd Belding added that the decision was also driven by increasing prescription volume at the Sparrow professional building, calling the new location “a one-stop shop” for essential services that keeps care local, timely, and affordable.
The facility underwent a complete interior demolition and rebuild to create space for its three service lines under one roof. Patients now have access to diagnostic testing, X-rays, and upgraded occupational health services supported by new technology. Regional COO Connie O’Malley noted that what could have become another empty building is now a “prominent community anchor” delivering daily care to Lansing residents, hospital visitors, and downtown workers.
The opening marks another step in UM Health-Sparrow’s long-term investment in the Lansing region. Alongside the new pharmacy, the system is advancing several major projects, including a $100 million psychiatric hospital on the former Lansing Eastern High School site and an outpatient surgery center nearby. Together, these initiatives reinforce UM Health-Sparrow’s commitment to improving access to care, revitalizing key community spaces, and ensuring the downtown area remains both vibrant and healthy.
To learn more about UM Health-Sparrow pharmacies, go to UofMHealthSparrow.org/our-hospitals-services/services/pharmacies.
