The planned expansion of a midcoast health clinic in a building in downtown Rockland could throw a wrench into the city’s own plans to make that structure its municipal headquarters.
The Knox Clinic purchased the Bok Building, located at 22 White St. in downtown Rockland, last week for $1.65 million, according to Executive Director Meredith Batley. The clinic has already been operating out of space it was renting in the building and now has plans to expand there.
But Rockland has separately been working to buy the building for a new City Hall and will have a question on the November ballot asking voters whether to approve spending up to $3 million for renovations at that address, according to the Midcoast Villager.
Local officials are still interested in making an offer on the building, but they say that the ballot measure would not take effect unless they acquire it, according to the Villager. Rockland has been trying to move its city hall to downtown since the 1990s. Its municipal headquarters are now at 270 Pleasant St.
However, it’s not clear the city will succeed in buying the Bok Building, at least anytime soon. The former owner of the building, Rick Rockwell, confirmed that the sale to the Knox Clinic is now complete. But, he said that there might be opportunities for the city to negotiate a sale with the clinic in the future. Rockland City Manager Tom Luttrell didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Batley, the director of the Knox Clinic, said there may be opportunities for tenants to share the building in the future, but for now, the organization is moving quickly to get its expanded primary care clinic running by the start of 2025.
For now, the Bok Building also houses Pen Bay Walk-in and Primary Care, which is affiliated with Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport. But it will soon be leaving the building after its parent group, MaineHealth, sold it to Rockwell last year, according to MaineBiz. Last year, Pen Bay Medical Center also began renovating another space in the Rockland Plaza shopping center that will become the clinic’s new home, according to the Pen Bay Pilot.
Because the Bok Building has already been in use as a medical center, Batley said the Knox Clinic’s expansion there will go smoothly.
“They’re leaving behind seven medical exam rooms that will help us get up and running so much faster than we had ever originally envisioned, which is great,” Batley said.
The Knox Clinic had previously negotiated to buy land in Thomaston for its expansion, but it has dropped those plans for now, according to Batley.
According to a letter Batley wrote to Thomaston, the clinic was facing several deadlines that influenced its decision to go with the Bok Building, including a long-term arrangement with Pen Bay Medical Center that will expire in December and a September deadline to get a new location approved through its licensing as a Federally Qualified Health Center.
The group currently employs volunteers to offer primary medical and dental care to patients who can’t afford health coverage through other programs, with a separate location for its dental clinic in Rockport. But Batley said the expansion will allow it to graduate to an “integrated” model with full-time staff that can accept insurance and provide all of its services under one roof.
“It’s really a wraparound concept where you treat the whole person,” Batley said.
Jules Walkup is a Report for America corps member.Additional support for this reporting is provided by BDN readers.
