Colorado Real Estate Journal -
A family health care clinic at Lowry is getting a long overdue makeover thanks in large part to a $5 million grant through the Affordable Care Act. The Lowry Family Health Center, a Denver Health clinic and teaching facility, will be totally gutted and reconstructed over the next year. The 32,000-square-foot building operated as a Lowry Air Force Base clinic before the base closed in 1994, and it was given to Denver Health the next year. Denver Health has operated it as is ever since. The renovation will integrate clinical and teaching space for what is one of the few family medicine teaching sites nationally, according to Pete Gutierrez, the health system’s associate chief operating officer. One of Denver Health’s eight community health centers, the Lowry facility saw 20,000 patient visits last year. A series of modular units have been moved to the site to accommodate patients during construction. Contractor GH Phipps Construction Cos. expects to start construction of the $6 million project in mid January to mid-February. The clinic is slated to reopen a year from now. Included in the project, located at 1001 Yosemite St., are clinical pods, dental services, lab space, a pharmacy and other clinical areas. A new barrel-vaulted, high-ceiling entry, along with reception, waiting and registration areas, will be created. H+L Architecture is the designer. The city and county of Denver and Denver Health are assisting with funding, which also includes a request of the Colorado Health Foundation, said Gutierrez.