PORT ANGELES — Olympic Medical Center commissioners have formally launched the process that will build a $15.8 million medical office building across the street from the current hospital, 939 Caroline St.
Commissioners of Clallam County Hospital District 2 applauded themselves Wednesday after they approved 6-0 to seek bids for the two-story, 42,000-square-foot structure.
Together with parking lots, it will occupy most of the block bounded by Race, Caroline, Washington and Georgiana streets.
Voting for the project were Jim Cammack, Jean Hordyk, Jim Leskinovitch, Dr. John Miles, John Nutter and, via telephone, John Beitzel. Board chairman Tom Oblak was with CEO Eric Lewis on an advocacy trip to Washington, D.C.
“This has been a long-term plan for many, many years,” said Nutter. “I can’t wait to get underway.”
‘Landmark moment’
Dr. Scott Kennedy, OMC’s chief medical officer, called it “a landmark moment to modernize medical facilities in Port Angeles.”
Although architects estimate the building will cost less than $16 million, commissioners approved a “not-to-exceed” amount of $18 million.
They also approved spending $272,500 for wastewater/stormwater improvements on the site in an interlocal agreement with the city of Port Angeles and buying parts of Caroline Street and the Caroline/Georgiana alley from the city for $288,750.
Lewis has said previously OMC hopes to receive and award bids by June 22 and for work to start in July. Construction is scheduled to last 13 months.
The building will provide the space-strapped medical center with 60 exam rooms and related doctors’ officers, a walk-in/urgent care clinic and X-ray facilities, all grouped into three color-coordinated “neighborhoods.”
The structure will back onto Race Street and face Washington Street across parking areas. Caroline Street will be closed to provide walkways between the hospital and the office building.
Buildings currently occupying the site, all of which are owned by OMC, will be razed as construction schedules demand.
The present Children’s Clinic and OMC Specialty Clinic will move their operations into the new building before they are demolished.
Drastic change
“We’re going to see the neighborhood dramatically change,” said Kennedy, “and a very different picture of what is the future here at OMC developing very quickly.”
In other action Wednesday, commissioners approved $160,000 for new information technology equipment and a $251,368 base annual contract with Dr. Stephen Bush.
Bush, formerly of the Jamestown S’Klallam Family Health Clinic, also will receive a $100-per-hour stipend as medical director of the obstetrics-gynecology unit at OMC.
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Reporter James Casey can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jcasey@peninsuladailynews.com.
