Davis County breaks ground on health building

CLEARFIELD — Within 10 months, the Davis County Health Department will have some new digs in Clearfield.

Officials from Davis County and Clearfield broke ground for the 45,000-square-foot building Tuesday at an empty lot located about 22 S. Depot St.

The site, across from Clearfield City Hall, sits in a blighted area. The project is expected to bring in about 120 jobs.

Clearfield's redevelopment agency formerly owned the land where the new building will sit. Mayor Don Wood called the building the start of a "tremendous opportunity to redevelop and replenish our downtown."

Ogden-based Wadman Corp. submitted the lowest of 19 bids to win the project, which will save Davis County about $3 million from the $8 million it estimated to build the building.

"This is a great day for the health department and the (residents) of Davis County," said Lewis Garrett, director of the Davis County Health Department.

The new building for Garrett's department will consolidate the work done in four buildings in Farmington and Clearfield.

The three-story building will house a Women, Infants and Children Clinic, vital records office, food handler testing, a public health lab and Midtown Community Health Center on the ground floor; epidemiology office and environmental health on the second floor; and administration, Senior Services and family health on the third floor.

A senior center, which will replace the county's senior center in Clearfield, is being designed to be attached to the building, Garrett said.

Davis County Commissioner Bret Millburn said he's happy to build the building in an area where people need it.

Construction is expected to be complete in August.

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