Home health business looks to open in Renovo

Former Bucktail CEO says it will not interfere with medical center

RENOVO -- Bucktail Medical Centers former CEO, Tim Reeves, informed Renovo Borough Council his plans to undertake a home health service business on the 700 Block of Erie Avenue in the borough.

Reeves attended council's April meeting to share the information.

The 730 Erie Ave. destination has already begun the process of being zoned as business property, rather than residential, according to Reeves.

He said, in a perfect world, they hope to open their doors in around 90 days.

Council member Kristy Serafini-Brooks immediately pushed back on the proposal, asking if it would be in competition with the already struggling Bucktail Medical Center.

Reeves said the home health plans are much more geared towards offering an additional service that the community does not have.

Reeves said he hopes to hire a local nursing staff of registered nurses and nurses aids that could offer service, particularly to senior citizens, that would assist in keeping them in their homes, not needing to be moved to a nursing home as their health declines.

Therapies such as physical, occupational and speech are also being planned, he said.

The Erie Avenue location as of now is being planned as an office for the business.

In other business:

Mayor Gene Bruno reported the building on 3rd and Huron Avenue, the site of the former YMCA and Yesterday's Restaurant and hotel, is now "completely out of the borough's hands."

The site was recently locked up, forcing residents to leave following the building no longer having heat or hot water available to former occupants.

Code Enforcement Officer Roger Hoy took action once it was discovered there was no heating services.

A notice of the building being condemned, posted by Hoy, caused some confusion in the community, but Bruno said that will be resolved and that is not the case of the building’s condemnation.

Bruno also reported that he and Hoy have acted as a liaison between the California owners of 221 Champlain Ave. and a potential demolition company to have the building taken down.

For a few years, the structure that sits along state Route 120 was deemed one of the most dangerous due to its deterioration. This has caused cave-ins and sits within feet of occupied homes.

After some time, Bruno said this is the most confident that he has been yet that a construction company and out-of-state owner were to speak and hopefully begin the razing process soon.