Temporary Closure of North Country Obstetrics and Gynecology at 90 South St. Glens Falls
QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (August 22, 2019) – Hudson Headwaters Health Network will temporarily close its North Country Obstetrics and Gynecology office, located at 90 South Street in Glens Falls, while the building undergoes renovations.
During construction, providers and staff will relocate to Hudson Headwaters’ West Mountain Health Services, building 1, located at 161 Carey Road in Queensbury, roughly 2.5 miles from the South Street office. Most patient appointments between August 26 and March 31 will be scheduled at the West Mountain 1 location; they may be rescheduled at other Hudson Headwaters locations as well, based on patient preference.
Extensive renovations, which began in 2018, were originally developed in a “phased” approach, have proven to be more challenging than initially expected.
According to Special Projects Manager Christine Morine, the infrastructure and mechanical systems must be replaced. “Originally, we planned to renovate the building floor by floor, moving staff, patients, offices and equipment each floor’s renovation was complete,” she said. “We have discovered that we must drill vertically through each floor to install the new HVAC, electrical and plumbing components. Some of the drilling locations are within office space, some are in clinical space. The impact on patient care would simply be too disruptive.”
In addition to complete replacement of the building’s mechanical systems, the building’s age and previous renovations offer some unique challenges, many of which could not have been identified in advance. “We have found interior walls that are braced with a large “x”-shaped piece of steel. Unfortunately, this is where we intended to install doorways. This has required that we change our plans as we progress,” commented Morine. “It’s much more difficult to make changes if the building is occupied.”
Changes to plans, requirements for mechanical system replacement, and ongoing disruption to staff and patients led project officials to change how they continue the project. In addition, issues that have been encountered have moved the anticipated completion timeline further into the future. The decision to temporarily close the building while completing the renovation will bring the project significantly closer to its original timeline.
Hudson Headwaters CEO, Dr. Tucker Slingerland understands the inconvenience that patients may feel. “The requirements of this project dictate that we work in many areas simultaneously. This could expose patients and staff, some of whom are pregnant, to dust and debris. Closing the building is the most responsible course of action. It is certainly the safest thing we can do for our patients and staff,” he said. “I believe that patients will find that the renovated space and expanded services we will be able to provide once the building is complete will make up for the inconvenience.”
North Country Obstetrics and Gynecology is a multi-floor building located in the center of Glens Falls and across from Glens Falls Hospital. It is being renovated to provide a more comfortable experience for patients and staff. The updated facility will feature additional exam rooms, routine outpatient procedure suites, ultrasound rooms and expanded patient waiting and check-in areas. Office space will be enhanced, and the overall design of the space will be much more comfortable and efficient. Useable space will increase from 6,000 to 10,000 square feet. The expansion will include on-site laboratory services provided by Glens Falls Hospital.