Legacy Awaits State Decision on Need

VANCOUVER, WA-Legacy Health Systems expects to know later this week if its bid to build a new hospital and office development here remains on schedule to break ground next spring. The health care company wants to spend $170 million on a 220-bed hospital and two 90,000-sf medical offices on 23 acres adjacent Interstate 5 near the corner of Northeast 139th Street and 20th Avenue.

Legacy expects to hear this Friday if the state approves of its plan. Approval will come in the form of a ‘certificate of need.” If Legacy clears that hurdle, it can then go to the Clark County commissioners and request its project be declared a ‘facility of regional significance,’ which would allow Legacy to continue moving through the project approval process despite a traffic-based building moratorium.

Joseph Kunkel, Legacy’s senior project coordinator, tells GlobeSt.com his company would still have to mitigate the traffic problem–which probably means spending several million dollars–but it would concurrently be able to seek building approvals and remain on schedule.