ESCONDIDO: PPH opens new headquarters downtown

Move hailed as boost to Grand Avenue area

By DAVID GARRICK - Staff Writer | Thursday, October 30, 2008 8:06 PM PDT ∞

ESCONDIDO ---- Palomar Pomerado Health moved its corporate headquarters from Carmel Mountain Ranch to downtown Escondido on Thursday morning, a move that hospital officials called a "reaffirmation" that they are committed to revitalizing the area.

"This is a significant move that shows our deep commitment to the city and community of Escondido," Dr. Marcelo Rivera, a hospital trustee, told roughly 60 local leaders gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The new headquarters, which will be home to nearly 40 hospital district employees, is a three-story building across the street from Palomar Medical Center at 456 E. Grand Ave. It is among five downtown properties the district has bought in the last three years in order to eventually create "a medical village."

Despite those purchases, some critics have continued to question whether the hospital district will follow through on its promises to maintain a strong presence in downtown Escondido when the new Palomar Medical Center opens on the city's western edge in late 2011.

On Thursday, longtime Escondido resident Wally Gutierrez said relocating the district's headquarters is not significant evidence that hospital officials will fulfill the promises they have made to the city. He said the new building, which is nearly 13,000 square feet, does not come close to fulfilling district promises of a 50,000-square-foot downtown office building.

"I'm pretty much a black-and-white guy," Gutierrez said. "They've got to do what they said they would do."

But the leaders gathered at the ribbon-cutting ceremony had nothing but praise for the hospital district.

"This is an important economic booster shot to our downtown Escondido neighborhood," said Tom Hogarty, chairman of the Escondido Chamber of Commerce. "The purchase of these five properties is a significant step toward fulfilling the commitment the hospital district has made."

Escondido Mayor Lori Holt Pfeiler said the hospital's expansion plans will mean great jobs for young Escondido residents and excellent local health care for older city residents.

"For the city of Escondido to have a major new hospital and a downtown hospital where we can get health care is critical to quality of life for our community," Pfeiler said.

Mike Peters, chairman of Escondido's Downtown Business Association, said the new employees would provide an immediate boost to the restaurants, art galleries and banks on Grand Avenue and nearby streets.

After the ribbon cutting, the local leaders and hospital administrators poured into the newly renovated building, where they were greeted by the smell of fresh paint and new carpet.

The hospital district spent about $1.5 million remodeling the facility, which previously housed office condominiums. Before the remodel, it was commonly referred to as the "Coral Building" because it was pink.

Among the employees transferred to the new building are top-level executives and the human resources department, which was previously spread among multiple locations.

Two human resources employees interviewed Thursday said they were upbeat about the new facility.

"It'll be nice to be all in one place instead of having us all separated," said Kristen Fike, a data analyst.

Fike also said she was excited to check out the new businesses in the area.

"I'm very excited about the wine bars," she said.

Contact staff writer David Garrick at (760) 740-5468 or dgarrick@nctimes.com.