HAWC clinic remodeling under way

McKenzie Construction of Reno has begun a major remodeling of the HAWC Community Health Center at 1055 S. Wells Ave.

HAWC, a nonprofit that serves primarily uninsured and underinsured residents, has seen dramatic increases in the number of patients it serves during the economic downturn. The remodeling is designed to provide space for more patients, increase the size of its pharmacy and improve the flow of patients through the clinic, said Linda Costa, HAWC's chief operating officer.

In 2009, the number of patients seen at the clinic rose by 36 percent over year-earlier numbers. Dental visits alone increased by 18 percent. At the same time, the clinic has increased its medical staff by more than twenty percent.

"We're going to use every square inch," Costa said of the project to remodel the 21,000-square-foot building.

The total price tag for the renovation is $1.3 million. HAWC received about $400,000 in federal funding for the work. The building's owner, McKenzie Properties, a sister company to McKenzie Construction, has contributed another $100,000 toward the project.

HAWC has launched a capital campaign to raise the remaining $800,000.

The first phases of the project are scheduled for completion this summer. If the capital campaign is successful, Costa said the entire project is expected to be complete by year-end.