Groundbreaking marks new Donora site for Centerville Clinics

CEO Barry Niccolai said the larger facility will be better able to meet the community’s health needs.

Centerville Clinics held an official groundbreaking Wednesday at its new Donora location at 570 Galiffa Drive.

Founded in 1955, the Centerville Clinics network includes 13 medical offices and clinics, five dental offices and 10 behavioral health sites.

It serves around 40,000 patients in Fayette, Greene and Washington counties and is recognized locally and nationally for excellence, according to a release from the clinics.

Centerville Clinics is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and a non-profit community- based health organization that provides comprehensive primary care, dental and mental health services to people in all spectrums of their life.

“Community health centers serve as the primary medical home for more than 30 million people in more than 13,000 rural and urban communities across America,” COO Ben Neil said at Wednesday’s ceremony. “Each community- based family doctor enjoys long-standing bipartisan support by administrations and policy makers. There are 53 community health centers in Pennsylvania with Centerville being the fifth-largest CHC in the commonwealth.”

Centerville Clinics also help patients access specialty and hospital care services not available at the center, and they have pharmacies in various locations.

Community health centers run in unique ways, according to Neil, who called the new building part of the clinic’s “commitment to the families of Donora.” The centers are operated by a board of directors that are patients, and they see patients regardless of their ability to pay.

Centerville Clinics has been part of the Donora community since 2019 when Dr. Dimitri Petro joined. He has been retired since 2021 after starting as a doctor in Donora in 1963. Kimberly Hvozdik, CRNP, is now seeing patients at Donora Family Medicine.

“I am very glad it is stay- ing in Donora,” Petro said. “The building is an upgrade, and they used my office for five years. I am sorry to lose them as a tenant, but I am glad they are still in Donora.”

The new location features five exam rooms and a lab oratory for specimens and bloodwork. It will replace the current office at 718 McKean

Ave., which will remain open until the new facility is complete.

Barry Niccolai, chief execu-

tive officer of the Centerville Clinics network, said renovation work at the new location will be “extensive,” and he hopes the groundbreaking shared their vision for the future with community leaders and residents.

“With this larger facility, we will be able to do more to serve the needs of the community,” Niccolai said. “Service is part of our organizational DNA. We take pride in providing health care to seniors, adults and children, regardless of a person’s ability to pay.”

Niccolai added that the clinics are “safety nets,” providing high-quality care to 1 in 15 people, mostly elderly, nationwide.

He said they are proud of the care they deliver, and when Petro invited the clinic to partner with him, they made sure the thousands of people in the area still received good care.

“We are so grateful to serve the residents of Donora area since 2019,” Niccolai said. “When I attended a borough council meeting to announce our coming to Donora, I was overwhelmed by the round of applause we received from both borough officials and those in attendance. Thank you for the warm welcome to Donora.”

Renovations at the new location will provide full access for people with disabilities. In addition, mechanical, plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems will be upgraded to make the build- ing more energy efficient.

Architect for the project Ken Kulak of Kulak-George Architects thanked everyone involved for their commitment to providing quality, state-of-the-art facilities. Patrick Bracey of MacBracey Corporation, the general contractor, said the project is special and his company often gets involved in local community projects.

Several members of the public, Donora council and Centerville Clinics also spoke at the event, as well as representatives from nu- merous politicians’ offices, state Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Carroll Township, and state Rep. Bud Cook, R-West Pike Run Township.

“The need is great. So many people are getting older,” Bartolotta said. “Our fastest demographic is 85 (years old) and up, so they don’t travel well. So having something nice and close is just wonderful to see in Donora.”

Dr. Daniel Holt, medical director for Centerville, worked in Donora for six months and he said they were the best six months because of the gratitude of the patients and the office. He added he’s grateful for the clinic for its specialized commitment to patients.

“When I drove down the streets of Donora for the first time, I could see it was a special town,” Holt said. “I wish I could have seen it back in the hay day – filled with lots of life and energy. And that’s not necessarily the case right now, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be.

“It doesn’t mean the people that live here aren’t the same way. The people of this town that were cared for by Dr. Petro have become a wonderful part of the Centerville family.”

Joseph M. Yablonski, board president, said they were excited to come to the Donora area and he hopes they can continue the work they have been doing around the area.

“‘He who has health has hope. And he who has hope has everything,’” Niccolai said. “Here’s to a healthy, hopeful Donora.”

Anyone looking to make an appointment can call 724632-6801 or go to https://centervilleclinics. com for more information.