Former Eau Claire Hospital Building Will be the New Home of Genetics Company

Thursday, June 25th, 2026 -- 8:01 AM

(Rich Kremer, Wisconsin Public Radio) After being shuttered for two years, a vacant hospital in Eau Claire is the new home of a company using genetics to make heart muscles for people with congenital heart disease.

According to Rich Kremer with the Wisconsin Public Radio, it’s part of a new initiative backed by major donors from western Wisconsin intended to make the former Sacred Heart Hospital a medical research hub.

The former hospital closed its doors in March 2024 when the Hospital Sisters Health System, or HSHS, announced its exit from western Wisconsin. But on Wednesday the hospital doors were open and the lobby was once again full of people.

They included representatives from local government, businesses, nonprofits, and the city’s university and technical college waiting to hear about the building’s next chapter. The 600,000-square-foot building situated on 21 acres along Eau Claire’s busiest street is now owned by a newly formed nonprofit called the Heart Collaboration Center Inc., which is calling the complex the “900 District.”

Among the first tenants is a company founded in 2010 called HeartWorks, led by Tim Nelson and Matt Nelson, who are brothers. The company bioengineers heart muscles by converting human skin tissue into stem cells and then into beating heart muscle.

“Many of you, I’m sure, have opinions on stem cells,” Matt Nelson said to the audience. “This isn’t just stem cells. That’s one step. We actually differentiate stem cells into beating contracting heart muscle, so we’re not doing stem cell therapy, we’re making hearts.”

He said the company has a location in Rochester, Minnesota, and recently opened a manufacturing facility in one of Eau Claire’s business parks. The “900 District” will be its third location.

Matt Nelson said his brother Tim “would not let this place come down” and saw the potential of the massive building. He said the company was unsure because of the costs of heating and maintaining such a large structure, but Tim worked to bring regional investors on board.

Those funders include billionaire Menards founder John Menard, Ronald Wanek, who owns Ashley Furniture in Arcadia, Zach Halmstad, who developed and sold a computer software firm in Eau Claire, and John and Carolyn Sonnentag, who own County Materials.

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