UHD buys Wells Clinic building

United Hospital District in Blue Earth is adding to the list of properties it owns in Faribault County.
Board members have given administrator Jeff Lang the go-ahead to proceed with the purchase of a building where the district is operating a clinic in Wells.
With the acquisition, the UHD would have 22 properties in the county. It currently owns 18 in Blue Earth and three in Winnebago.
The district is buying the property from Buccaneer Investment Corporation, a subsidiary of Bevcomm.
Total purchase price is $212,463, which includes closing costs of $3,500.
Lang says from a financial perspective it makes for UHD to own the facility instead of paying rent.
“We’re committed to the community and certainly aren’t going anywhere,” he says. “The building serves our needs very well.”
The sale isn’t expected to be completed until January 2013.
UHD has been renting the building for 10 years. Currently, the district pays monthly rent of $4,464.
Bill Eckles of Bevcomm says UHD?officials are exercising their option to buy the building at the end of a 10-year lease.
“It was sold at fair market value. It makes sense for them to own the building because they want to be there on a long-term basis,” he says.
According to Eckles, 30 percent of what UHD has paid in rent will go toward the purchase of the building. The Wells Clinic offers various health care services such as family medicine, obstetrics, physicals, well-child care visits, X-rays and lab services.
Lang says physical therapy has been added to the list of care provided.
At the present time, Tara Becker sees patients at the clinic and there are plans to hire a part-time therapist.