Officials to consider hospital’s request to vacate city avenue
Uniontown City Council told Uniontown Hospital President Paul Bacharach that it would consider his request to vacate Thompson Avenue to allow the hospital to build an addition if the hospital’s board of directors approves the project. Thursday’s council meeting was the third time this year hospital officials discussed plans to expand and improve the facility with council, but it was the first time they had conceptual drawings of the plans.
Councilman Blair R. Jones Sr. said he would support vacating the city’s ownership of the street if the hospital needs the land where the street is located to build an addition.
Bacharach, who was accompanied by hospital administrator Donald Record, told council that the addition would allow the hospital to expand the emergency department and add a 28-bed inpatient unit.
He said the emergency department was remodeled nine or 10 years ago to reflect the belief that the number of patient visits would decrease because of managed care.
However, emergency room visits increased to almost 50,000 last year and the number of visits is expected to reach 55,000 or 60,000 next year, he said.
A helicopter landing pad would be placed hear the new emergency department entrance.
The Medical Arts Building on Delaware Avenue would be demolished to make room for the addition, which would extend from the building to Thompson Avenue and part of an adjacent parking lot, Bacharach said.
He said the new emergency department and a relocated visitors’ parking lot would be accessible from Route 21.
Vacating the alley then connects Easy Street and Thompson Avenue, and eliminating a total of 15 parking meters on Thompson, Delaware and Woodlawn avenues are also included in the hospital’s request.
The hospital is planning a number of other improvements as well.
Bacharach said outpatient services would be consolidated on to the ground floor and the heating ventilation and air conditioning systems would be upgraded.
Moving the visitors’ parking lot would make it safer for them to enter the facility, he said, noting that, currently, visitors have to walk across a three-lane intersection to enter.
Jones said something would have to be done with a city-owned sewage line than runs under the alley that connects Easy Street and Thompson Avenue.
Responding to a question from Mayor James Sileo, Bacharach said the hospital would borrow some of the money needed for the project and seek donations.
Councilman Joseph Giachetti asked when the work would begin.
Bacharach said he wants to demolish the Medical Arts Building this year and begin building the addition next year.
City solicitor Daniel Webster said council members were concerned about what would happen if the hospital’s plans fell through after they vacated the street and alley.
He said council wants an assurance from the hospital saying that the project will definitely proceed.
Record said he might have project approval from the hospital’s board in August.