A request for proposals outlining phases for vendor and contract awards, design and construction of the facility, shows a $45 million budget and a construction start date in 2027. It could take at least two years or more to complete, Palantino said.
A second, smaller, new health center is already underway at a vacant property across from the Frankford Transportation Center. That site will be mixed-use and also include housing. It is currently in the design and predevelopment phase while the city finalizes the project’s budget with its development partner, Frankford Community Development Corporation, Palantino said.
City Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, who represents District 7 in the Lower Northeast, said the health center “remains a top priority for me.” She spearheaded funding and regulatory approvals for the project in 2023 and 2024.
“The project experienced delays, but we are working closely with the health department and key stakeholders to move it forward,” Lozada said in a statement, adding that she has meetings with groups involved in the project in the coming weeks.
“My focus is on maintaining momentum and advancing it as quickly as possible,” she said.
For many community members and residents, the new health centers cannot come soon enough, said Adam Goldman, executive director at the Philadelphia Unemployment Project, a member of the advocacy coalition.
Wait times for new patient appointments at Health Center 10 in Rawnhurst, the only city location serving the Northeast, continue to be as long as 10 months.
“And that really limits folks’ ability to go to the doctor, get their prescriptions, go to specialists,” he said. “The health centers really provide very comprehensive care. So, this is very, very important for folks in the Northeast.”
City Health Centers accept patients no matter their insurance status, and provide sliding scale payment options to help people with low incomes who are uninsured or underinsured.
That’s been especially helpful for people who’ve lost their jobs and employer-sponsored health benefits, Goldman said. Advocates say they want city leaders to feel the same urgency they feel in expanding access to care.
“We know they care about this and so we really just want to see where they can shorten the timeline, where we can speed things up so that people can really get help as quickly as possible,” Goldman said.