ALMC addresses concerns
Published 12:00 am Friday, December 3, 1999
Parking topped the concerns of residents at the Albert Lea Medical Center’s neighborhood meeting last night.
Friday, December 03, 1999
Parking topped the concerns of residents at the Albert Lea Medical Center’s neighborhood meeting last night.
At the meeting, residents who live near the medical center complained about the lack of public parking.
Although there are parking lots for staff use, they often fill quickly. Some medical center staff also prefer to park on the street rather than in some of the lots that are further way.
That’s just human nature, Steve Waldhoff, ALMC chief administrative officer, said at the meeting. People want to park close to the entrance.
There are some short-term solutions while the medical center begins to work on something more long-term, Waldhoff said.
&uot;We’re putting together plans to have employees park at the West Clinic,&uot; Waldhoff said. The medical center would provide a shuttle service to bring the employees from the West Clinic to the main campus.
ALMC is considering a &uot;high-rise parking structure,&uot; Waldhoff said. But those plans are not final.
At today’s prices, the parking structure would cost $1.5 million.
That money would be better spent serving patient needs right now, Waldhoff said. There are other construction projects and pieces of equipment that are needed.
&uot;We need to take care of our patient care facilities first,&uot; he said.
There are four options as far as where a parking structure could be built: to the east of the property; to the south; the property that borders Vinehurst Avenue; or the property that borders West Avenue and Fountain Street.
Waldhoff said no decisions have been made, but he guesses they might build the parking structure on the property that borders West Avenue and Fountain Street. The property to the east would be suitable for future expansion. He would also like to see the old Naeve building site become a green area.
However, that plan is five years in the future, he speculated.
Waldhoff said the medical center has asked the staff to be aware of residents’ concerns regarding parking.
Patti Hareid, director of community relations, said the medical center has used every means to notify staff, from memos to newsletters.
&uot;If we’re having a problem now, we’re certainly going to have a problem when the snow starts to fly,&uot; said one resident at the meeting.
One resident was also concerned about the safety of teens who end up parking a block or more away from their homes.
Waldhoff suggested the residents try to work with city officials to restrict the parking to residential parking only. At this point, the medical center can’t do much more other than ask the employees once again to be mindful of residents’ concerns.
The helipad was also a topic at the meeting.
According Waldhoff, the helipad is completed – the lights and navigation equipment are operational. They are waiting for approval from the FAA. However, there are some trees that one inspector said have to go.
Federal guidelines require a 110 degree clear window, Waldhoff said. Although the first two inspectors did not ask the medical center to cut down the row of trees, the third inspector thought it prohibited from having the 110 degree window. The medical center is challenging that ruling, Waldhoff said.
With the Fountain Center for chemical dependency treatment and behavioral health nearing completion, residents wondered what would happen with the old buildings.
The current Fountain Center will house administrative offices and some patient treatment, he said.
The house on Park Avenue that used to serve as the behavioral health building, along with another home owned by ALMC, will become transitional housing for new physicians and their families, Waldhoff said.