2nd Lacey location emerges for South Sound Behavioral Hospital

A second site has emerged for the South Sound Behavioral Hospital, the 75-bed mental health facility that has been proposed for not one, but now two locations in Lacey.

A company called US HealthVest, which is building a mental health hospital in Snohomish County and already operates one in the Chicago area, initially identified 605 Woodland Square Loop SE for the 75-bed facility. That’s the site of an office building that was once used by the state Employment Security Department.

But last week a second site emerged, according to a legal notice published in The Olympian, at 2800 Marvin Road NE. That’s a vacant parcel, which means US HealthVest would have to build. President and Chief Executive Richard Kresch could not be reached Tuesday.

The Marvin Road property is part of the Hill-Betti Business Park, said attorney Sandy Mackie, who has ties to the property. He acknowledged that the 6.5-acre parcel is in the running for the hospital, noting the access and convenience of the area, as well as the city’s plans to widen that stretch of Marvin Road this summer.

“We hope they give us serious consideration,” Mackie said about US HealthVest.

MJR Development of Kirkland, which owns the building at 605 Woodland Square Loop, also thinks the hospital is a good use for the property, said Mike McClure, partner. He even took the step of calling the neighbors of existing US HealthVest locations.

“They got rave reviews about what great community members they are,” he said, adding that MJR sees the hospital as a good fit for its mixed-use goals in the area. US HealthVest also has a reputation for being a quiet office user, McClure said. MJR owns several office buildings nearby, and redevelopment projects are underway.

Bob Russell, an analyst with the state Department of Health’s Certificate of Need program, said US HealthVest’s application was site specific, identifying 605 Woodland Square Loop. However, the application can be amended to reflect another location, he said.

Two public meetings are set for early May to discuss the US HealthVest proposals, including one requested by longtime Beachcrest resident, Elmer Keiski.

“It struck me as something worth listening to and investigating,” he said Tuesday about the proposals and his request. Keiski, now retired, has experience working with at-risk youth. He also said he had a family member who died at Western State Hospital.

He added that he wants to see how the proposed hospital will fit in with other social services offered in the area, such as those that help the mentally ill, the homeless and others in distress.

US HealthVest is set to hold a public meeting about its plans at 6 p.m. May 3 at Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Ave. SE. The state Department of Health also will have a public meeting, at 10:30 a.m. May 4 at Lacey Timberland Library, 500 College St. SE.

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 9:23 AM with the headline "2nd Lacey location emerges for South Sound Behavioral Hospital."