Thousands more people will gain access to affordable health care when OneWorld Community Health Centers completes its expansion next year.
OneWorld, based at the Livestock Exchange Building near 30th and L Streets, already is the largest provider of primary health care services in South Omaha. The expansion will add two four-story buildings on either side of the Exchange Building, providing additional clinic space and 32 units of affordable housing for senior citizens.
Wednesday morning's groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of construction. Andrea Skolkin, who is OneWorld's CEO, joined Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle and others in turning over some dirt in a wooden trough inside a large tent outside the Exchange Building.
The bulk of the funding for the $16.7 million project came from an $8.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The federal Affordable Care Act included funds to bolster services at clinics for low-income patients. Low-Income Housing Tax Credits will help fund the affordable housing part, Skolkin said.
"We're excited," Skolkin said. "'Ecstatic' is probably a better word. We're ready to go."
OneWorld, which mostly serves low-income and uninsured patients, already leases the three lower floors of the 11-story Exchange Building and will continue to do so after the two buildings are constructed. One of the new buildings will be built near the southeast corner of the Exchange Building and the other near its northeast corner.
OneWorld received the federal grant for the project in October 2010. Some area residents then raised concerns that the building on the northeast corner would block the view of the Exchange Building from L Street. The Exchange Building, completed in 1926, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The objections led to additional federal reviews and an update of the project's environmental assessment, delaying the start, Skolkin said.
OneWorld served more than 21,000 patients in 2010. The expansion, Skolkin said, will provide room to care for more than 33,000 patients.
The project will mean 160 construction jobs and more than 120 full-time health-care jobs within three years, officials said.
Lund-Ross Constructors is the project's general contractor.
Contact the writer:
402-444-1109, bob.glissmann@owh.com
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