The City of Cleveland is putting extra funding behind a new medical facility coming to the West Side as the city struggles to retain pharmacies.
The city's half-million, 3% interest loan will support Neighborhood Family Practice's new facility at 13027 Lorain Ave. in the Jefferson neighborhood, which includes a drive-up pharmacy. The group will be moving their offices from West 117th Street and Lorain Avenue to redevelop a now-vacant CVS building.
"The closure of the pharmacies across our community has been significant, especially this community," said Domonic Hopson, the President and CEO of Neighborhood Family Practice. "So we will be bringing back a drive up pharmacy to this neighborhood. And it's a neighborhood where we see a number of our refugees and newcomer population, many of them that walk to our facilities."
The new facility will be located just a half mile from the previous one.
It will allow for expanded services, which include primary care, dental and behavioral health, as well as 13 new full-time jobs with an estimated $58,000 in income tax to the city.
The facility is bolstered by more than $400,000 in American Rescue Plan Act federal stimulus dollars from the city and county, as well as a $50,000 neighborhood development development planning grant approved by council earlier this year.
"Neighborhood Family Practice is stepping in and filling the void where a lot of other people, quite frankly, are abandoning our city," said Council President Blaine Griffin. Other council members similarly lauded the healthcare provider's investment in city limits, citing "pharmacy deserts" in some parts of the city.
The facility is expected to open in April 2025 with the pharmacy opened in early 2026.
