Mayo Clinic Builds Robotics Testing Facility in Rochester
The health system is constructing a 6,700-square-foot warehouse to refine clinical robotics workflows.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Robotics
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Mayo Clinic is building a $450,000 temporary testing space at the Rochester Technology Campus to simulate and refine robotics workflows. This facility prepares the system for integrating advanced delivery technologies into its future clinical complexes.
Why it matters
The site allows staff to test automation designs in a controlled environment to ensure efficiency before deploying them in patient-care buildings. This initiative aims to optimize hospital logistics and streamline supply delivery for the future.
The testing project encompasses a 6,700-square-foot warehouse space, while the future Grainger Building will include a 900-foot underground tunnel for robotic supply delivery. This infrastructure supports the building's 185,000-square-foot design.
The players
Mayo Clinic
A non-profit American academic medical center focused on integrated health care, education, and research.
Industrial Realty Group
A commercial real estate firm that acquired the former IBM campus in Rochester in 2018.
The details
The facility at 2900 37th St. NW uses non-functional medical equipment and staff walk-throughs to simulate hospital operations. These tests help prepare systems for the upcoming Grainger Building, where robotics will operate behind walls and beneath floors to manage supplies.
Timeline
Industrial Realty Group purchased the campus in 2018.
Mayo Clinic filed building permits for the robotics project in October 2026.
The Grainger Building is scheduled to open in 2028.
The Tech Race
This facility construction follows the infrastructure development strategy established by the Bold Forward initiative. It marks a transition from manual hospital logistics toward an automated environment where robotics handle internal supply chains.
The project prepares systems that will eventually streamline supply delivery in downtown clinical complexes. Residents and patients can expect more efficient hospital operations once the technology is integrated into future buildings.
The takeaway
Large-scale medical institutions are increasingly using simulated environments to bridge the gap between architectural design and technological deployment. These mock-ups allow health systems to identify workflow bottlenecks before investing millions in permanent construction.
Further reading
For more on the local expansion of automated systems, visit Rochester Robotics.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Rochester Post Bulletin.
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