Mount Nittany Health Preparing to Begin Work on New Bellefonte Facility

Mount Nittany Health is getting ready to begin construction for a new Bellefonte facility that will bring expanded services together under one roof.

The Centre County-based health system recently held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new two-story, 40,000-square foot building to be located at 987 E. Bishop St., near Mount Nittany’s corporate office.

According to a news release on Friday, demand for service at the Bellefonte practice has outgrown its current space, and the new facility will provide additional capacity and room for growth.

“More than 120 years ago, Bellefonte Hospital laid the cornerstone for what would become Mount Nittany Health,” Kathleen Rhine, president and CEO of Mount Nittany Health, said in a statement. “Our roots are here and this project is a meaningful investment in that history and in Bellefonte’s future.”

The new building will include a walk-in urgent care clinic, a new imaging clinic and the relocation and expansion of primary care, pediatrics, lab services and the Children’s Advocacy Center of Centre County.

Nearly doubling the existing capacity of the Bellefonte practice, primary care will have 18 exam rooms, replacing the current 10, while pediatrics will expand to eight rooms. ExpressCARE will have six exam rooms dedicated to immediate, walk-in care.

Adding imaging services such as X-ray and ultrasound means that patients will not need to leave Bellefonte for diagnostic services, a goal that Mount Nittany says is part of its efforts to reduce barriers to care, including transportation challenges and missed time from school or work.

The Children’s Advocacy Center of Centre County will be incorporated into the new building with updated and expanded space. The CAC provides support for children who have suffered abuse or witnessed a crime and helps families navigate difficult times through a multi-disciplinary team involving specially-trained health professionals, law enforcement, social services and community advocates.

“Access to health care is about more than having services available — it’s about making those services practical and convenient for the people who need them,” Dr. Christopher Hester, Mount Nittany Health chief medical officer, said in a statement. “This facility will help us meet people where they are and continue our commitment to the health of Bellefonte and the broader community.”

A Mount Nittany spokesperson did not respond to a question on Friday about an estimated completion date for the building.

According to Mount Nittany, community feedback played a key role in the new building’s development, including insights from the Community Health Needs Assessment and direct input from residents.

“From self-scheduling technology and enhanced parking to improved accessibility, every detail of the new building is tailored to create a seamless and comfortable patient experience,” Mount Nittany wrote.

The health system also says the facility will create new jobs with staffing for the expanded imaging services and other new offerings.

The new building will be constructed on a currently vacant parcel that includes a piece of the former Bellefonte Armory property.

Project representatives told Bellefonte Borough Council earlier this year that an existing driveway that had been used for entrance to the Armory property will be relocated slightly east. The new driveway will be full movement and it was not expected to require a traffic signal.

Parking will be located at the sides and rear of the building, and the parcel will have a connection to the adjacent administrative office property. A solid six-foot fence will be installed at the back of the new building to provide screening for the adjacent residential neighborhood to the north.

The Centre County Board of Commissioners in September approved a plan for Mount Nittany to use up to $150 million tax-exempt financing through notes issued by the Centre County Hospital Authority primarily for construction of the new Bellefonte building and what a health system official called the “tail end” of the $350 million patient tower under construction at the medical center in College Township.

No public funds will be used for the financing, and Mount Nittany will be responsible for the payments.

The two projects are among a series of capital investments in recent years that have grown Mount Nittany’s footprint and updated and expanded existing facilities.

The loss of Mount Nittany Medical Center’s sole community hospital designation, however, may stem future plans for other facilities improvements.

Recent filings in the hospital’s lawsuit against the federal government stated that Mount Nittany stands to lose at least $15.1 million a year in Medicare reimbursements if the status is not restored. The designation, which provides higher rates of Medicare reimbursements to hospitals in geographically isolated areas with limited other options, was revoked by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services in April.

The loss of funds would put at risk Mount Nittany’s plans to expand services, recruit and hire new physicians and nurses, and improve facilities and equipment, Kurt Kissinger, chief strategy and system development officer, said in a sworn declaration.