After two years of planning and construction, the new Delaware Avenue Health Park is officially open for business.
On Friday, April 13, employees of Community Care Physicians began moving into their new offices on the first floor and three days later the facility was open for patient care.
“We are excited to finish renovations and move into a location where we can better serve our patients,” said Gene Fine, director of operations at Community Care Physicians. “Consolidating into one building allows Community Care to create another location in the Capital Region that serves as a one-stop shop for patients.”
Originally slated to open over the summer, the new 48,000-square-foot facility sits where the old CVS building once stood and is cost nearly $13 million.
Fine said major systems within the old building were starting to fail, like the heat and air conditioning, before it was decided a new building was in order.
“How long do you keep repairing before you replace? The lease was up and we needed to replace the building in its entirety, so that’s what was done,” he said.
Fine called the new building “absolutely beautiful,” especially the new lobby area which will provide integrated services for all of the practices and specialties housed within the building.
“We about doubled the size of our previous space,” said Fine. “We’ve made it a lot larger so it can accommodate our valued patients, as well as the staff and their needs.”
Community Care Physicians in Delmar has 70 employees and includes several primary care practices, an urgent care facility, a lab and a radiology center, with audiology, podiatry and physical therapy specialists. The new facility also includes a fitness workout center, which will open over the summer.
“The intent is to encourage wellness for a healthier, extended lifespan, that’s why we are including the gym in our new facilities,” said Fine.
The fitness center will be available free to patients and staff during business hours. Patients will need to sign up for the service and will then be given a card to swipe to gain access to the workout center.
The old community care building is still occupied. The rest of the move is expected to take place in stages with the final move to be completed in early fall 2012.
The old 15,000-square-foot building will then be torn down and the vacant space will be used for parking, new landscaping and for stormwater management purposes, according to Michael Morelli, the director of economic development and planning for the Town of Bethlehem.
The building’s top floor is currently empty. Fine said additional clinical space is available in that area and developers are seeking out tenants.
“To see how it worked out from a piece of paper to reality is wonderful,” said Fine. “We love that employees in the old building could watch it go up from their windows. It means more.”
The new facility was designed by BBL Construction Services, with Carrow Real Estate managing the health park.
Fine said the new facility is now large enough to accommodate Bethlehem’s growing population.
“Our staff has a vested interest in the community and we want the people of Bethlehem to be taken care of,” he said.
