HealthNet Celebrates Completion of First Phase of Construction of the New $6.6 Million People’s Health & Dental Center on Near-Eastside

9/20/2010

INDIANAPOLIS - More than 30 contractors, architects, and city officials will get a preview of the latest in green infrastructure techniques being used in the construction of the Near-Eastside’s new HealthNet People’s Health & Dental Center when the first completed phase – a 9,000 sq. ft. permeable paver parking lot – opens at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 1, 2010 at 2340 E. 10th St.

The highlight will be at 11 a.m. when officials simulate a flash flood to demonstrate how the permeable paver parking lot works. A water truck will dump more than 4,000 gallons of water on the lot in a matter of 15 minutes – equivalent to 9 inches of rain – and is expected to produce no run-off.

The new center serves as a demonstration project for the City of Indianapolis’ Office of Sustainability in its use of green building techniques and materials, many of which haven’t been tested in this climate area before.  As an innovative stormwater management strategy, permeable pavers allow water from rain or snowmelt to flow through the pavers, into a stone base, and then filter into the soil below. This eliminates stormwater runoff and protects nearby surface waters from stormwater pollution.

From 10 a.m. to noon, representatives from the engineering and design community will be on hand to answer questions about the center’s energy-efficient heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system and comprehensive storm water management system, which includes the parking lot composed of permeable pavers, a bioswale and an energy efficient roof. Event participants include City of Indianapolis Office of Sustainability, Belgard Environmental, Axis Architects, Halstead Architects, Roger Ward Engineering, Inc., EMHT, John Oberlies Consulting Engineers, Inc.

Thanks to capital campaign donors and $5.3 million in federal stimulus funds, the $6.6 million environmentally “green” health center serving the uninsured and underinsured will create jobs and set a new standard for patient care, delivering 42,000 patient visits per year. Scheduled to open in early 2011, the health center is located along the East 10th Street business corridor, which is already undergoing many improvements as a part of the 2012 Super Bowl Legacy Project.

Since 1968, HealthNet (http://www.indyhealthnet.org) has been a mainstay in the Indianapolis community. Through its network of five community-based health centers, an OB/GYN care center, a pediatric and adolescent care center, and eight school-based clinics, HealthNet annually serves over 50,000 individuals and families. Many of them are uninsured or underinsured and live below the federal poverty level. HealthNet services include: primary and preventive health care; OB-GYN support and coaching for expectant mothers; Healthy Families and Better Indy Babies; dental services; Homeless Initiative Program; counseling, outreach and social service programs. HealthNet’s health centers include Martindale-Brightwood Health & Dental Center, People’s Health & Dental Center, Southeast Health & Dental Center, Southwest Health & Dental Center, Barrington Health Center, the Care Center at the Tower, the Pediatric and Adolescent Care Center and the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center.