Ground Broken for $42 Million Community Health Center in South Providence
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
While health care reform continues to be a battleground in Washington DC, Rhode Island dug in this week - literally - toward better care for both the insured and uninsured.
With the clanging of more than a dozen shovels, the Providence Community Health Centers, Inc. (PCHC) broke ground for its $42 million health services, office and retail complex at 369 Prairie Avenue in South Providence.
Not only will this ambitious new facility, at the former Federal Lithographers site, mark a major improvement in health care access for all Rhode Islanders, but will serve as a vital economic engine for the South Providence neighborhood.
The largest private development project in South Providence
“This is an important occasion for our organization and the thousands of patients who rely on us and our seven clinics for medical and dental care," said Merrill R. Thomas, CEO, PCHC. "As the largest private development project in South Providence, our project will result in local construction contracts, long-term jobs, and accessible high quality health care. In these challenging times, we are giving many of the city’s residents access to what they need.”
Lifespan, the state’s largest hospital network and private employer, will be the anchor tenant in the commercial office building and Walgreens will lease space in the project’s retail building.
Project details
The project includes a new 41,100 square-foot health center; 50,000 square-foot office space; and 5,000 square-foot retail building. With government funding and tax-exempt bond financing secured, PCHC will commence construction in this month with completion projected for early spring 2012.
“This is a great example of a public-private partnership that will create sustainable jobs anchored by the state’s largest industry sector, stimulate additional economic development, and expand health services for families in the Greater Providence area,” said Senator Jack Reed, who joined his fellow RI delegation with shovels to mark the occasion.
In December, 2010, PCHC received a nationally-competitive $2.99 million construction grant award from the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) that was obtained with the support US Senators Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, as well as Councilman Luis Aponte and former Councilwoman Balbina Young. Additional grants have come from Congressional Appropriations, the US Environmental Protection Agency (for site clean-up), the Champlin Foundation, and the Ida Ballou Littlefield Memorial Trust.
A catalyst for revitalization
“As the catalyst agent for the broader revitalization strategy, the PCHC project and the involvement of Lifespan are essential steps in the formula to rebuild South Providence and provide an innovative model for urban redevelopment in Rhode Island and across the New England Region,” said Darrell Lee, President, BCOG Planning Associates.
Lee has worked as the project's development consultant since 2003. He's also founder of the Prairie Avenue Revitalization Initiative that targets South Providence.
The New York Times applauded PCHC for playing a vital role in health care delivery in the city and being at the core of the comprehensive plan to rebuild and reconnect a distressed community to the economic mainstream. The Times called the PCHC project “a rare economic success story for upper South Providence.”
Pictured in photo, left to right: Mayor Angel Taveras, Darrell A. Lee, Manuela Pires, Congressman James Langevin, Ned Handy, Emillian Egbuche, Congressman David N. Cicilline, Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts, Christina Zanfagna, Michael Pearis, Senator Jack Reed, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Mark Montella and Merrill Thomas.
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