New Medical Facility Is Taking Shape in Harlem
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Patients visiting the clinic will find the main entrance on the south side of the building.
Anyone traveling through Harlem in May likely noticed increased activity at 530 Central Avenue West. The presence of work trucks, the sound of nail guns and other power tools, and then a change of paint and window installation hinted at a facelift.
With a mission to provide accessible, quality health care for the whole community, One Health-a family of community health centers-purchased the former Vets Club building in Harlem in December of 2020 under the Big Horn Valley Health Center name. When the reconstruction/remodel is complete in late August or early September, 530 Central Avenue West will be home to One Health Sweet-Harlem and to Milk River Pharmacy.
The building, which was originally erected in 1989 under the direction of Eddie Fetter and Fetter Construction, housed the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Vets Club until May 2018 when it officially closed. In the new plan, the bowling alley side will house the health clinic and the bar side will become the new home to Milk River Pharmacy.
Fetter, who is the General Contractor on the current remodel job, chuckled when he said, "I think I built half of Harlem!" In early June, he and his crew were immersed in the work of building internal walls that will eventually give shape to a dental facility with three exam stations and a dental lab, six medical exam rooms, a procedure room, lab, nursing station, two team spaces-one for the dental operations and another for the medical side-as well as multiple restrooms and storage spaces.
On June 1, Kevin Fetter was working on the south entry, which will serve as the main entrance, while Junior Fetter was constructing internal walls for the Entry/Welcome Room and Chad Fetter was peeling labels from the windows he had installed on the north side. Another crew member was stringing conduit for wiring. Parking lot paving will soon follow.
"Both main entrances-for the clinic and the pharmacy-will be double door systems so that the outside air stays somewhat outside," Fetter explained. Such a system will enhance patient, customer, and employee comfort while also saving heating and cooling costs.
Working on the Fetter Construction crew, Junior Fetter nails together the frames that will give shape to the new clinic's Welcome Room.
Once the medical clinic side of the operation is complete, the construction crew will move into the old bar area and begin to remodel that space for Milk River Pharmacy. Owner of the pharmacy, Hilary Richman said she's excited for the move, which will provide her with more space. Although the current location of Milk River Pharmacy on the Highway 2 corridor provides visibility for thru traffic, Richman believes the one-stop shopping of having the medical facility and easy access to filling prescriptions will be convenient and positive. "The initial transition may pose a slowdown in business, but I suspect our coffee customers will make the adjustment," Richman stated.
With the additional space, Richman hopes to expand her inventory and her options. There is even talk of possibly adding a floral selection, given the increase in cooler space.
Nora Conner, Community Health Advocate for One Health-Sweet, reported, "We hope to have everything up and running in the new location by September at the latest. I know they [Fetter Construction] have gutted the building and are in the process of remodeling now."
