Minneapolis’ historic Mill District will gain some collegiate flair with a new University of Minnesota Physicians and University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview clinic.

The clinic will be on the ground floor of one of two nine-story condominium buildings that are part of the Zenith condominium project. The project will also include a five-story hotel. The buildings will be one block away from the Guthrie Theater and the riverfront.

Sherman Associates, the developing company in charge of the Zenith project, will start laying foundations and footings in mid to late May, said project manager Bernadette Hornig. The clinic is expected to open in fall 2008.

“For the Mill District and the community, the clinic seems like a great fit,” Hornig said. “It’s a vibrant addition to the neighborhood and great addition to the condominium.”

Andrew Hauer, chairman of the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association Land Use Committee, said the clinic will be an important part of the growing residential area of downtown.

“We enjoy being close to University of Minnesota and its educational functions,” Hauer said. “But it’s important that the clinic is linked to the neighborhood and provides all the services necessary for people.”

The clinic is still in its early stages of planning, said Dr. Barbara Daniels, a Medical School faculty member with the University of Minnesota Physicians. But the organizations hope to offer “easy access to urgent care” for the growing downtown population.

“There is a really large, unserved population in that area,” she said. “Serving the community is very important to us.”

The clinic will also offer primary care through a team of nurse practitioners, family medical physicians and pediatricians, Daniels said.

The University of Minnesota Physicians is a nonprofit health care organization, according to the group’s Web site. Faculty from the University’s medical school provides group care for patients throughout the Twin Cities area.

The organization is teaming up with Fairview to open another medical center in Maple Grove. The center will open in July and provide primary and specialty care for children and adults.

“The ability to collaborate with Fairview in other off-campus clinics is reflective of the success we’ve had working together on campus,” Daniels said.