After five years in the making, a dream came true when The Heart Group broke ground on a building project designed to take cardiovascular care to a whole new level of excellence in the Central Valley.
The private groundbreaking ceremony held May 22, 2025 was especially poignant for the family, friends and colleagues of Alfred G. Valles, M.D., who passed away in October 2023. Dalpinder S. Sandhu, M.D., F.A.C.C., emceed the ceremony and honored Dr. Valles for birthing the vision that nearly “died with him” until Shaukat Ali M.D., F.A.C.C., took up the mantle of leadership over the project.
“From meeting with the architect and going through the permit approval process to working with the bank and the construction company, we’ve done a lot of hard work leading up to this groundbreaking,” said Dr. Ali. “Today is a big day for our patients.”
The Heart Group purchased 11.5 acres of land in Fresno on the northwest corner of Herndon and Peach in April 2020, just as Covid began to make its devastating impact on the world. The unstoppable Dr. Valles continued to drive the project forward throughout the pandemic, and Dr. Ali saw the preconstruction process through with the help of Jaswant S. Basraon D.O., M.P.H., F.A.C.C. (Dr. Jas) and Jagroop S. Basraon, D.O. (Dr. Roop). Together as members of the construction committee, they solidified plans with Anthony C. Pings, AIA, for Quiring General to construct a 42,000-square-foot medical office building to offer comprehensive cardiovascular care in one convenient location.
“The Heart Group has been a great client to work with,” said Sam Enmark, Senior Preconstruction Manager, Quiring General. “There’s been a lot of leg work to this point and we’re excited to get this project going.”
The Heart Group will consolidate its Fresno and Clovis offices on the new campus, which comprises seven buildings and plenty of parking over multiple phases. The well-designed plans not only make room for future growth, but also cast a vision for the community to gain access to a beautiful campus that will meet numerous health care needs.
“This project is a collaboration that will serve our community by providing everything from basic lifestyle changes and regular cardiovascular disease treatments to complex cardiac care,” said Dr. Sandhu.
Expected to open Fall 2026, the relocated practice will continue to offer cutting-edge technologies and perform innovative procedures, while bringing an even greater depth and breadth of services to the Central Valley.
“Fresno County has always been underserved,” said Dr. Roop. “This project will enable our patients to come to our new campus for the highest quality of care without having to travel.”
The new campus will not only offer expansive diagnostic departments like the existing location, but will also feature expanded service lines with a deeper focus on preventative care and wellness.
“We will teach patients meal prep skills and show them they can enjoy healthy food,” said Dr. Sandhu. “We plan to offer wellness programs and provide a fitness center with trainers who teach them how to work out safely.”
“Right now, our patients are running all around town to get the services they need,” said Dr. Sandhu. “We are streamlining the process by offering them everything related to their care in one location.”
The community deserves a campus like this—that’s always been our vision,” said Dr. Jas, emphasizing The Heart Group’s ongoing dedication to caring for hearts in the Valley. He also pointed to another source of inspiration. “The tragedy of losing both Dr. Valles and Dr. Plenys really pulled us together.” Dr. Plenys passed in September 2024. Dr. Valles died in a car accident with his beloved wife, Selina, a real estate broker who located the property for the physicians. The Heart Group is dedicated to honoring the memory of these beloved cardiologists by building upon their legacy of providing lifesaving procedures and compassionate care.
“This project shows our commitment to our patients and our community,” said Dr. Ali. “This is not just a building. We want to be a center of excellence and a place of innovation that will attract new doctors and new talent.”
In spite of tragedy and loss, the dream of building a comprehensive medical campus has come true. It’s no wonder The Heart Group has a reputation for pushing ahead—a reputation established by the founding cardiologists, who in addition to Dr. Plenys with the support of his beloved wife, Pam, include Dr. Robert Chambers, Dr. Dale Merrill and Dr. John Telles.
Standing on the shoulders of more than 50 years’ experience, the next generation of cardiologists at The Heart Group is poised to continue its legacy of providing transformative cardiac care. This dedicated team of subspecialty, fellowship-trained physicians is leading the way in consultative cardiology, advanced cardiac and vascular imaging, clinical electrophysiology, advanced heart failure, interventional cardiology, structural heart and endovascular interventions. The expansive new campus demonstrates their commitment to continued growth and to keeping pace with changes in diagnosis and management of adult cardiovascular disease. Breaking ground at the new campus perfectly positions The Heart Group to remain a beat ahead in the practice of cardiology.
