Uniland Development’s first project on the 20 acres it owns at Elmwood and Hertel avenues has been sold. People Inc. purchased 800 Hertel Avenue yesterday for $5.527 million. People Inc. plans to expand and its Elmwood Health Center, an affiliate of the agency, to the site in early 2021. The facility is currently located at a People Inc.-owned building at 2128 Elmwood Avenue and that it will backfill with employees currently in leased space elsewhere.

People Inc. continues to seek funding support for this much-needed expansion project. From 13,000 square feet to the new 32,000 square foot facility, the increased space will result in extra services and ample patient parking. The new location will provide nearby communities and families more access to affordable health care, with offerings such as onsite dental services, pharmacy and durable medical equipment. Uniland Construction will remodel the existing industrial building at 800 Hertel for People Inc. adding 3,000 sq.ft. of space along with site improvements.

The Elmwood Health Center expansion represents best practice, bringing together a wide variety of health and wellness services in one convenient location. Core continuing services will include internal medicine; audiometry; neurology; speech, physical and occupational therapies; pediatric and adult medicine; social work; behavioral health; counseling and podiatry. The enhanced care will provide an innovative system for medical physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical support staff and social workers to work as a team and provide a coordinated approach to health care delivery integrating behavioral health. A special wheelchair clinic with an onsite durable medical equipment provider, providing readily available access for assessments and specialty equipment for patients, is also under one roof.

Additionally, a new Dental Clinic will be co-located onsite to provide much-sought-after dental care, an extreme need for people with developmental disabilities. From 500 patients in 1994 when the Elmwood Health Center was established to over 5,000 patients today, the new location will have the capacity to provide services to over 7,000 patients. Increased patient access will also be available, with lower waitlist times, an increase of examination rooms from 10 to 22, and four treatment rooms for primary and specialty care.

“We are so excited to embark on this expansion of health care services,” said Rhonda Frederick, People Inc. president and CEO. “Twenty-five years ago, People Inc. started the Elmwood Health Center because we saw the need for people with developmental disabilities to receive appropriate healthcare, and we’ll continue to offer this expertise to even more people with disabilities with the expansion. Their family members, staff and community members are also able to receive great healthcare services with us. Our plans to have more comprehensive services under one roof will be more convenient for patients all-around.”

Uniland remains the owner of 18 adjacent acres to the People Inc. site. The developer has plans to redevelop the properties over the next several years into a mix of office, retail and residential space.

“People Inc. is a great community partner and this new health clinic will add a vital service to the neighborhood,” said Uniland Vice President Michael Montante. “This project is the first in a multi-phase mixed-use redevelopment for the entire site along Hertel and Elmwood. This is a significant location in North Buffalo and we expect neighbors, visitors and passersby to see significant improvements in the aesthetics with this phase.”

Uniland is said to be currently working to finalize a deal with another business to operate at the site.