Avita Ontario South Campus opens Friday in former Sears building

Lou Whitmire, Mansfield News Journal
·2 min read
Avita Hospital now populates space on both the north and south ends of the Richland Mall.
Avita Hospital now populates space on both the north and south ends of the Richland Mall.

ONTARIO ― Avita Health System announced Thursday that Avita Ontario South Campus will open at the end of this week in the former Sears building at 600 Richland Mall.

The facility will feature a walk-in clinic, medical offices, a dietitian office, X-ray, and lab draw stations. The Avita Walk-In Clinic will be the first to move into the new facility and will open its doors Friday at 8 a.m.

“Renovating the former Sears building allows us to add new providers and bring some of our off-site medical offices, pharmacy and walk-in clinic together in one convenient location,” said Kim Winkle, vice president of Operations, Avita Health System, in a news release Thursday morning.

Avita Ontario South Campus will open at the end of this week in the former Sears building at 600 Richland Mall. The facility will feature a walk-in clinic, medical offices, a dietitian office, X-ray, and lab draw stations.
Avita Ontario South Campus will open at the end of this week in the former Sears building at 600 Richland Mall. The facility will feature a walk-in clinic, medical offices, a dietitian office, X-ray, and lab draw stations.

Dr. Anil Paul and Dr. Harold Brown will relocate to the South Campus and open their new offices on Monday, followed by pain management on Tuesday. Dr. Cheryl Clay, Dr. Rob Harriz, and Lindsay Wolf, CNP, will open on Wednesday. Avita’s retail pharmacy will relocate to Avita Ontario South Campus on Feb. 20 and will feature a drive-through window for prescription pickup.

More options for outpatient health care services

The new lab draw stations will allow patients to schedule lab work at the South Campus by calling central scheduling at 419-462-3310.

“We are excited to provide outpatient health care services at our newest location,” added Winkle. “With this new facility, we continue to provide additional access to quality primary care and specialty services.”

Avita has invested $11 million in Avita Ontario South Campus, which was purchased in the fall of 2020.

There will be 65-70 employees working in the facility when it opens, with 15 of those in newly created jobs. Fifty to 60 new jobs are anticipated when all of the offices are filled and the remainder of the top floor is completed. The top floor is 52,000 square feet with approximately 33,000 square feet completely renovated at this time.  Adena Corporation served as the general contractor for the project.

Ontario mayor calls Avita 'a great community partner'

Thursday, Ontario Mayor Randy Hutchinson said, "Avita is very important and to reutilize, repurpose a building is even more special. They are a great community partner."

The former Sears wing of the Richland Mall will open Friday as the Avita Ontario South Campus.
The former Sears wing of the Richland Mall will open Friday as the Avita Ontario South Campus.

The former Sears store anchored the south end of the Richland Mall from 1969 to 2019.

Avita Health System purchased the former Lazarus building in 2013 and began a three-phase project to convert the property into a full service hospital system that opened in February 2017.

Avita Health System also operates in Galion and Bucyrus.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @LWhitmir

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Avita Walk-In Clinic, more to open Friday in former Sears building