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An Easton-area site that once housed a well-known bakery is being transformed into a health center that will bring care already provided by Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) closer to residents of Easton and surrounding communities.
Construction crews have broken ground at the site of the former Schaible’s/Bimbo Bakeries (2401 Northampton Street, Easton) for the new Health Center at Easton. When complete in summer 2017, the two-story, 40,000-square-foot health center will offer community members multiple health care services.“Our hope is that – at this former bakery site that nourished this community for decades – we will create a resource that will support local residents and families in nourishing their health each and every day,” said Brian Nester, DO, MBA, FACOEP, LVHN’s president and chief executive officer. “We expect the health center to accommodate 15,000 patient visits in its first year.” Nester said he also expects it to create about 30 health care jobs.
The construction project will be developed and owned by J.G. Petrucci Company, Inc., which also is serving as design/builder. The project team also includes Iron Hill Construction Management Company (construction manager), Cerminara Architects, and Pany & Lentz Engineering Company.
Services at the Health Center at Easton will include:
- Primary care for the whole family
- Testing and treatment services
- ExpressCARE (walk-in care for minor injuries and common illnesses)
- Access to Health Network Laboratories
The health center’s opening will coincide with the planned opening of the four-story Specialty Care Pavilion at Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Muhlenberg, which will bring inpatient rehabilitation, obstetrics and newborn services to the Bethlehem hospital for the first time in its 54-year history. “By providing ob/gyn care here in Easton and birthing services at LVH–Muhlenberg, we’ll be creating convenience for women who formerly traveled from the Easton area to LVH–Cedar Crest for ob/gyn care,” said Jim Geiger, LVH–Muhlenberg’s president.
Local people are encouraged to sign up for updates on the new health center by visiting LVHN.org/Easton.
Once operational, the Health Center at Easton will be LVHN’s fourth health center in Northampton County, joining the Health Centers at Bangor, Bath, and Bethlehem Township. LVHN also has health centers in Lehigh County (Emmaus, Fogelsville, Trexlertown and the Health & Wellness Center at Muhlenberg), Berks County (Hamburg, Kutztown and Moselem Springs), Bucks County (Quakertown) and Luzerne County (Hazleton and Mountain Top).