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Ironton medical center planned
Lawrence County Commissioners Tanner Heaberlin, Jason Stephens, and Doug Malone sign a resolution stating their intent to build a medical complex during a joint meeting with the Ironton City Council on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008, in Ironton.
Purchase this photoIRONTON — Construction could begin next year on a $20 million family medical center that could be a precursor for a hospital on a 20-acre parcel off Ohio 141 and U.S. 52 in Ironton.
The project could provide up to 95 jobs.
More than 100 people turned out Wednesday evening across the street from the site to hear St. Mary’s Medical Center officials and others talk about plans for the family medical center that could offer extended urgent care services. If the center proves economically viable, it could lead to other phases including an imaging center, a surgery center and a $60 million hospital that would provide 200 jobs.
| Click for map of proposed site |
Architectural plans are being drawn up for a center that would be 40,000 square feet or larger, said D.R. Gossett, executive director of the Ironton-Lawrence County Area Community Action Organization.
“Best case scenario, I would love for it to be up and operational by the end of next year,” he said. “This is a great day for Lawrence County.”
Cynthia McDonald, a life-long Ironton resident, was extremely pleased with the announcement.
“I have elderly parents in the community,” she said. “This will be a great boost for us. When we lost our hospital, it was devastating to our community. This will provide quality jobs and help the tax base.”
The city lost its hospital more than 7 years ago when River Valley Health Systems closed its Ironton hospital, putting some 400 people out of work. Community leaders have been working since then to provide extended health care to the city and county. With roughly 63,000 residents, Lawrence County currently is the largest in Ohio without a hospital.
It will take about $2 million for land acquisition and $18 million to build the family medical center on Ohio 141 north of U.S. 52. The property includes about eight homes and Cooke’s Farm Center on Campbell Drive. Officials have options on those parcels.
St. Mary’s, a Huntington medical center, is paying for some of the upfront costs, said Ralph Kline, assistant executive director of the community action organization. Several issues have to be addressed for the project to move forward including moving a creek that runs through the property.
Georgia Willis, of 1851 Campbell Drive, will be among those looking for a new home since her property is among those in the project area.
“I’m glad we’re getting something,” she said of family medical center. “We’ve lived her since 1956. We raised three girls in that house.”
“This is one of the biggest announcements for Ironton in the past 20 to 25 years,” said Bill Dingus, executive director of the Greater Lawrence County Area Chamber of Commerce. “It truly offers opportunity for this part of Ironton to bloom. The university is right there,” he said, pointing across U.S. 52 to Ohio University-Southern.
Architectural plans could be finished in four to six months, Dingus said.
Doug Korstanje, director of marketing and community relations at St. Mary’s, announced plans for a joint effort to look at the health care needs of Ironton and Lawrence County last November.
The Community Action Organization, ClearPoint Companies, and some local physicians are participating in the project with St. Mary’s. ClearPoint is a health consulting and management firm that has been involved in hospital acquisitions.
“There are no promises of a full service hospital,” Korstanje said. But a hospital could be down the road if it proves economically viable and the family medical center does well, he said.
Before the announcement, Ironton City Council and the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners passed separate resolutions to support the project. For its part, the council committed to help with zoning and building issues, provide the necessary utilities and offer tax increment financing that would rebate up to half of the city taxes for the next 10 years. County officials also agreed to the tax incentives.
“St. Mary’s is very committed to improving health care in Lawrence County,” said Todd Campbell, St. Mary senior vice president and chief operating officer.
