Hall County approves $9 million for health department renovations

Brian Wellmeier, The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
·2 min read

May 23—Update: Commissioners approved $9 million in ARPA funding to renovate health department facilities Thursday, May 25.

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Original story: The county plans to spend $9 million to enhance its health department facilities and construct a new building to house Northeast Georgia Physicians Group.

Hall County's Health Department and Northeast Georgia Physicians Group currently share a building at 1290 Athens St. in Gainesville.

If approved by commissioners at a regular meeting Thursday, the county will enter into contract with Peachtree Corners-based Hogan Construction Group LLC for the construction of a 8,065-square-foot building for use by Northeast Georgia Physicians Group, in addition to the phased renovation of the existing 33,200-square-foot building for new parking lots and an access drive around the current health department facility.

"Northeast Georgia Physicians Group are the ones already in the health department that will be moving to that (new) building there, so the health department will (now) be able to have (all) that space — that will all be completely renovated," Director of Public Works and Utilities Bill Nash said. "The existing health department itself is looking to have interior renovations inside, and then there's some site work improvements — adding (a) drive-around and adding additional capacity and parking for the health department."

Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act will be used to pay for the project, according to Nash, who said the full cost of construction has not yet been determined.

"What (will be) approved is the contractor's fee," he said. "We don't have the full construction cost on that ... once we get permits for the sitework and the architecturals, then we'll get a full construction price."

Construction is expected to begin in the fall, with a completion date of late 2025.

"We learned a lot from COVID regarding vaccinations and the need for the (county) to better provide quality services and access ... the health department is such a vital need for the community," Nash said. "It'll make it a lot more (efficient), because there will be a drive around all the way, and have more parking. It's just going to enhance that."