New medical center will have offices for sports medicine, digestive diseases

Building permits issued in March show some of the medical services that will be in the new Gisela Houseman Medical Center now under construction as four permits for a total of $1.69 million were issued for interior build-outs for clients.

The city of Orange issued the permits for the medical complex being built on acreage known as Eagle Point off Highway 62 and Interstate 10.

The medical center build-out permits were $800,000 for Spine and Sports Medicine Clinic, $237,000 for Texas Digestive Diseases Clinic, $130,000 for Home Health Clinic, and $520,000 for Christus Primary Care Clinic.

In January, a permit for $6.95 million worth of interior build-outs was issued for other parts of the new medical complex.

Permits in March also showed that Orange is ready to serve electric vehicles. The Pilot Travel Center, 7112 Interstate 10, got a permit to build $200,000 worth of EV charging stations.

Orange has been without a hospital since 2015 when Baptist Hospital Systems of Southeast Texas closed the old Orange Memorial Hospital with 122 beds. The next year, Baptist closed the hospital's emergency room. Baptist still has some services in the building and owns a medical building next to the old hospital.

The new medical clinic, named in honor of local philanthropist Gisela Houseman, who is donating 20 acres of land for the complex plus addition land for a boulevard into the property. It will include a 24-hour public emergency room plus diagnostic services operated by Christus Southeast Texas Health Services.

The new medical center will also include space for private clinics and physician offices.

The Baptist system is also improving its facilities in Orange. The non-profit corporation got a building permit valued at $485,000 to re-roof the three-story medical office building at 610 Strickland Drive next to the old hospital.

No date has been given for the opening of the new medical clinic, which is owned by NexCore, a company specializing in medical centers. The contractor for the construction work is Arch-Con Corporation, a national company with a division that handles only medical facilities projects.

No date has been set for the opening of the new complex.

Other commercial permits issued by the city in March included $80,000 to Brandi Williford for 308 Border Street. She is remodeling a historic wood frame house near the Orange County Courthouse to become the Little Texas Teahouse. She has an Orange Economic Development grant for up to $80,000 and she told the Orange City Council she plans to invest $200,000 in the new business.

Mount Olive Baptist Church, 106 Park Avenue, took a permit for interior remodeling valued at $59,710. Also, South East Tower Company has a permit for $40,000 to make alterations to a Verizon cell tower at 2703 Eddlemon Road.

The city issued only three permits for new houses. The city does not list the value of residential work or new houses. The permits are for 1303 First Street, 2205 Sixth Street, and 1506 Hart Avenue.

Permits went out for six residences to get electricity hooked up to home generators, and eight permits were for houses to get gas service to home generators. Also three permits were given for installation of solar panels.