Alabama sports medicine doctor Larry Lemak branching practice into Shelby County

Dr. Larry Lemak is expanding his sports medicine business into Shelby County with a new $1.5 million facility next to Shelby Baptist Medical Center.

Lemak Sports Medicine-Shelby, which will be built in a former SouthTrust Bank branch next to the Alabaster hospital, represents the first clinic the noted orthopedic surgeon has opened outside of his central practice at Brookwood Medical Center.

"We're happy to be in Shelby County and growing our practice to make care more accessible for our patients and the citizens of Shelby County," Lemak said in a statement about the project.

The building has been empty for more than four years. Lemak Sports Medicine aims to occupy the building by the end of this year after renovations are completed. The building will have 4,000 square feet of physician office space and 2,500 square feet for outpatient services.

The office will be led by Dr. Mike Patterson, a physician from Tuscaloosa. The practice will focus on sports medicine and outpatient physical therapy. Patterson, a former Florida State University defensive back, will also have access to Shelby Baptist Medical Center for other procedures.

Alabaster MB LLC, a partnership between Lemak and his son Matthew, owns the building. Matthew Lemak's company, the Lemak Group, is a development partner along with Jonathan Lindsey of Southpace Properties Inc., who also brokered the purchase of the building. Jim Strickland of RealtySouth represented the seller of the building.

Matthew Lemak said the practice not only looks to serve Shelby County, but also Chilton County. Patterson already has started lining up high schools to work with for the upcoming football season.

Lemak Sports Medicine provides medical assistance to many high schools and colleges around the state.

Matthew Lemak said the Shelby County practice may add another physician in a year or two if the market demands it.

Meanwhile, the Lemak Group is scouting other parts of the metro area to expand Lemak Sports Medicine. Matthew Lemak said the northern part of the metro area will likely be the next destination for the practice.

The new office comes a year after Dr. Lemak set up his own practice at Brookwood following a split from long-time partner Dr. Jim Andrews. The two men created the Alabama Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center that lasted more than two decades and built an international following.