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caption, page 2:
Groundbreaking
Day Kimball Healthcare broke ground last week on its new Putnam Healthcare Center on South Main. Left to right: Delpha Very, Putnam's Community Development Director; Putnam Mayor Bob Viens; Greg Harubin, DKH Director of Facilities; Dick Loomis, DKH board vice chairman and selectman; Ric Rovero, Engineered Construction International Inc.; Jay Bentley, landlord; Bob Smanik, DKH CEO and president; John Miller, DKH board chairman; and State Rep Daniel S. Rovero. Linda Lemmon photo.
New medical
center is
precursor to
ER expansion
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM --- Day Kimball Healthcare last week started on a $1.4 million building project on South Main Street that would pull some physical medicine and blood draw services away from the Day Kimball Hospital building and give the hospital's Emergency Department much-needed room for growth and renovation.
Within the next year, said Robert Smanik, Day Kimball CEO and president, the Emergency Department space will more than double. The new Putnam Healthcare Center on South Main Street, at the site of the former Brooks Pharmacy, will house Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech/Language Pathology, Blood Draw Services and will also house Franklin Home Health, which is currently on Providence Street. Groundbreaking on the top-to-bottom renovation of the building and parking lot began July 27 and will be finished by Oct. 21, Smanik said.
"This is an initial step to expand and improve the Emergency Department," Smanik said. He said Day Kimball Healthcare will work immediately to open up the Emergency Department, remodel and expand its space.
The Putnam Healthcare Center was designed by Fletcher Thompson Architects of Hartford and the construction contractor is Engineered Construction International, Inc. of Plainfield.
Putnam Mayor Bob Viens said the project is helping to create a strong community. He called Day Kimball Healthcare an integral part of the strong community that is northeast Connecticut.
State Representative Dan Rovero called it a proud day for Putnam, Connecticut.