Recently, Lake Health signed a lease for the Chase Bank building, at 30 S. Park Place in Painesville, to establish an urgent care facility, said Gary Robinson, Lake Health vice president of government and community affairs.
"We're hoping there will be a wide complement of physicians. But we already have primary care in place and that's the main thing," Robinson said.
Painesville City Manager Rita McMahon said the facility will be similar to Lake Health's Chardon Campus.
"The urgent care facility format meets the needs of our community very nicely," McMahon said.
With the opening of TriPoint Medical Center in Concord Township on Oct. 21, Lake East will be vacated. Since city officials have not found a suitable use for the building, they are planning on demolishing it.
In July, Painesville City Council applied for a $2.25 million grant from the Clean Ohio Revitalization Funds, Round 7, which will largely pay for the demolition.
If the city secures the state funding, the hospital will be demolished in March, Robinson said.
Between Oct. 21 and April 1, Robinson said Lake Health will have a "quick clinic" in place next to Subway at 72 S. Park Place. The clinic will be strictly temporary until the urgent care facility is ready.
The hospital demolition is a crucial part of Painesville's master plan for the downtown. The plan also includes construction of residential housing on the hospital site as well as a focus on green space.
"With a boarded up building in a neighboring community, that's not going to do us any good," Robinson said.
Clean Ohio Council will review the city's application Nov. 16.
The grant could be awarded in late November or early December, said Cathy Bieterman, city economic development coordinator.
Upon the demolition of the hospital, construction on new homes and the downtown's redevelopment could begin in 12 to 18 months, said Joe Del Re, of Cleveland-based Zaremba Inc.
Zaremba is the developer for the master plan.
Although some city council members were hesitant on the project, considering the economy, Council President Joseph Hada Jr. said all members agreed the city needs something in place.
"The economy should be coming back," Hada said.
"This (plan) is a sound investment. It's one of those things that changes a town."
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