Ribbon cut as CANCO completes new public health building
Carl A. Nelson & Company Project Manager Ryan Harris, third from left, speaks during a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark completion of construction of the new Des Moines County Public Health building in Burlington, Iowa. (CANCO)
1 week ago
The new clinic location for Des Moines County Public Health replaces a hard-to-access downtown Burlington, Iowa site that has been used since the 1940s. Carl A. Nelson & Company led the project as construction manager.
Officials and employees from Des Moines County were joined Oct. 8, 2024, by members of the local business community and the project team to celebrate completion fo the new county's new public health building in Burlington, Iowa. Carl A. Nelson & Company led the project as construction manager.
Des Moines County Public Health's new facility, located at 505 Curran St., was built with federal COVID-19 relief funds provided to the county in an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant.
Celebration of the completion occurred 13 months after ground was broken at the site, which formerly was occupied for many years by Washington Elementary School before being cleared.
"This ribbon-cutting ceremony represents many years of planning, hard work and dedication," said Christa Poggemiller, Des Moines County's director of public health. "This project reflects the shared goal of improving health of our community, and making it a priority."
Poggemiller noted that after 80 years in its previous location in downtown Burlington, the pandemic made its inadequacies for the future clear, including limited parking and interior spaces not suited to delivering health care services in the 21st century. The new building will allow for more elbow room for patients and staff, increased clinic space, opportunities for drive-through services when necessary and improved parking will allow Des Moines County Public Health to better meet the county's needs, she said.
Carl A. Nelson & Company Project Manager Ryan Harris expressed the company's gratitude for the opportunity to lead the project, and also thanked the designers, contractors and suppliers who helped make the project a success.
Following a brief public open house, public health staff was to begin the process of moving into the space. Services were set to begin being offered in the new location starting the week of Oct. 14.
View the brief ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Des Moines County Public Health building in this video of the event from the Greater Burlington Partnership.