Great River Medical Center's Board of Directors approve construction of new long-term-care center

Great River Medical Center's Board of Directors has approved construction of a new long-term-care center on the hospital's West Burlington, Iowa campus. It will replace the existing Klein Center at 2910 Madison Ave., Burlington, Iowa.

The new center will be built along the lake on the south side of the campus between the main parking lot and Great River Hospice House. Although it will be home to nearly 160 people, living spaces will be divided into about 10 "neighborhoods," each with a kitchen, community space and private bedrooms.

There also will be a 16- to 32-bed neighborhood for patients with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

"Now is the right time to build our new Klein Center," said hospital President and CEO Mark Richardson. "Construction costs will only continue to rise, and the first of the Baby Boomers are turning 65 now. As the need for long-term care increases, we'll be ready with services people want and expect."

The existing facility opened nearly 50 years ago, and it would require significant renovations. Planning for the new center began a few years ago, but was delayed when the economic downturn began. Final plans will be completed in the next six months, and groundbreaking is expected in the latter half of 2011. The construction time will be about 18 months.

"The new building will allow us to improve the household model we have already started," said Klein Center Administrator Ann Abolt. "Our goal is to make their lives in this new building as homelike as possible for those who no longer can live in their homes."

Named after its benefactor, F. Albert Klein, the Klein Center opened as a rehabilitation hospital in 1963. Twelve years later, it became a long-term care center operated by Great River Medical Center. The new facility also will be called the Klein Center in recognition if its history and continuing contributions from the Klein Trust.

Great River Medical Center is committed to helping find a new use for the existing building.

"Although the building is owned by the Klein Trust, we are interested in working with trust representatives to develop a reuse plan for the building that will benefit the community," Richardson said.