The HealthFirst clinic on Newtown Pike is moving, but officials haven’t finalized a new location just yet.
The Newtown clinic has to move its operation by this December and the Southland clinic project now has a deadline of September 2015. Both facilities will be operated by the non-profit HealthFirst.
Fayette County Health Department chief financial officer Jack Cornett says a number of spots on Lexington’s north end are being considered for the Newtown clinic, all located on LexTran bus routes. Officials believe the move could save HealthFirst as much as $100,000 a year on rent.
Meanwhile, the troubled Southland clinic project – which has endured numerous delays, a critical report by the state auditor’s office, and the forced resignation of HealthFirst executive director William North - is gradually moving closer to breaking ground. Cornett says construction management contracts with Lexington-based Congelton-Hacker Company should be signed by next week.
HealthFirst has been seeking to build the Southland clinic using an $11.7 million dollar federal grant since 2010.