New Caring Hands building planned on annexed land

Jul. 13—The city of McAlester is getting larger with the annexation of new properties into the city limits.

Plans include construction of a new Caring Hands Healthcare building on one portion of the newly-annexed property, with the idea of bringing all of Caring Hands McAlester locations under one roof.

Also, plans call for construction of a church on another portion of the newly-annexed properties.

Councilors approved the annexation measures after hearing from city of McAlester Community Development Director Jayme Clifton during their Tuesday night meeting at City Hall.

Both tracts of land were described as "adjacent and contiguous" to the McAlester city limits. Both properties are now classified as C-5 Highway Commercial and as a Commericial Recreation District.

The Caring Hands property is described as adjoining E. Van Buren Avenue and adjacent to city limits to the west and the south. It's also described as adjacent to NE Buffalo Drive and East Van Buren Avenue.

Prior to the city council meeting, the Caring Hands Healthcare Board of Directors sent a letter to the city requesting the annexation.

Caring Hands Healthcare Chief Executive Officer Michael Echelle and Board of Directors member Gary Wansick both attended the city council meeting where the annexation measures passed.

Echelle, the former longtime administrator of the Pittsburg County Health Department and other regional offices, and Wansick, the retired McAlester police chief, both. have a history of getting things done

Now that the property where the new Caring Hands Healthcare Centers headquarters is expected to eventually be constructed has been annexed into the city limits, the News-Capital asked what's next?

"We will be taking a methodical approach," Echelle said. He said Caring Hands has been working with an architect on a design for the projected new building.

"We've purchased the land," he said, with another tract of land donated to Caring Hands.

"We're working to establish finances to move forward," Echelle said.

He expects the new facility to cover from approximately 45,000 to 50,000 square feet.

Plans call for the projected new Caring Hands Healthcare center to provide medical care, dentistry, and a pharmacy with a behavioral health department also included.

"It's a holistic approach to providing needed care to the patients we serve," Echelle said.

"Right now, Caring Hands has over 10,000 individual patients," said Echelle. "That equates to 33,500 patient encounters for 2022."

Asked about seeking the expansion at this time, Echelle said "We're trying to provide health care and access to health care is important."

He said Caring Hands wants to enhance its relationship with other medical facilities in the area, such as the McAlester Regional Health Center and the Pittsburg County Health Department, maximizing those relationships to the benefit of all involved.

Caring Hands Healthcare operates facilities in McAlester at 3101 Elks Road and at 200 S.. Third St., Suite B, in McAlester. Another Caring Hands Health Care facility is in Hartshorne.

The News-Capital asked if plans to eventually locate all of the Caring Hands Healthcare operations under one roof mean there are plans to close the Hartshorne facility.

Both Echelle and Wansick said the answer is no. Plans call for the Hartshorne facility to continue in Hartshorne at its current location at 1429 Pennsylvania Avenue. Echelle said Caring Hands owns the building in Hartshorne, while leasing the two locations in McAlester.

Another tract of land annexed into city is owned by Randall Saunier and David Verner, and is also in Township Addition 5. Saunier and Vener also sent a letter to the city of McAlester requesting the annexation.

The property is described as at the NW N George Nigh Expressway Service Road and East Van Buren Avenue.

"A portion of the subject property will be utilized for construction of a church and the applicant would like to have municipal services," a city report states.

Joining Mayor John Browne to make the vote to annex the properties unanimous were Ward 1 City Councilor Weldon Smith; Justin Few, Ward 2; Cliff House, Ward 3; Randy Roden, Ward 4; Billy Jack Boatright, Ward 5 and Kevin Beaty, Ward 6.

Prior to the annexation of the properties by the city council, members of the McAlester Planning Commission voted 6-0 during their June 20 meeting to recommend the annexations.