GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — The North Carolina A&T Real Estate Foundation is partnering with Cone Health to bring more health care options to East Greensboro.
Construction on the new development is expected to begin soon. This is part of a larger project focused on revitalizing that part of the city.
The partnership to open an urgent care and primary care clinic on East Market Street is part of the $32 million Resurgent Project.
Representatives from both organizations said this is a milestone for the region, both economically and medically.
“East Greensboro is considered a medical desert. You've heard of food deserts, right? People have to travel more than three miles to get healthy or access healthy and fresh food. If you have to, it's considered a food desert. Well, it's the same thing in East Greensboro. You can't get health care within a two-mile radius in East Greensboro,” said North Carolina A&T Real Estate Foundation Executive. Director Kimberly Cameron said.
North Carolina A&T Real Estate Foundation and Cone Health plan to address disparities by opening an urgent care and primary care clinic in a 54,000-square-foot building.
No matter where you live or how much you earn, you should have access to quality care.
Cone Health's “Catch 5 in 5” initiative identified East Greensboro as a place where people live 15 years less than people living in other areas.
“When we think about where services are located, we tend to consider the most convenient option…When we think about it that way, we find that there are some services that need to be nearby. We see this as an opportunity to serve patients closer to home,” said Deno Adkins, Cone Health's senior vice president of ambulatory and consumer services. He said.
Located in the 1800 block of East Market Street near Benbow Road.
Cone Health's urgent care and primary care clinics are located on the first two floors of the building.
Other floors will house offices and an entrepreneurship hub.
“We hope that some people will be able to walk to their doctor so they don't have to get in the car to see their doctor,” Prime Minister David Cameron said.
The medical office was scheduled to be part of the second phase of the project, according to a 2021 announcement by the North Carolina A&T Real Estate Foundation.
The first phase had plans for apartments, a parking deck and retail space.
Challenges such as rising interest rates and increased construction costs after the pandemic prompted the change in plans.
These medical facilities are currently being prioritized.
“It's still part of the overall plan. We're just lucky that we had the option to be able to get this off the ground,” Cameron said.
There are three buildings on the East Market Street property. One is the sanctuary of an old church.
Construction is scheduled to begin next month.
“We have a building permit…Currently, Samet is preparing to mobilize on the site to start construction. It is the old sanctuary that will be demolished. Therefore, the remaining two buildings will be on the site ,” Prime Minister Cameron said.
Cone Health expects 25,000 people to use the East Market Street medical facility annually once it opens.
The Resurgent project is expected to stimulate economic growth and job creation in East Greensboro.
New annual salaries and the creation of an in-building entrepreneurial hub that includes the university's Center of Excellence for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, with a mission to empower local entrepreneurs and drive economic development. is expected to bring in $1.6 million.
