Old Target store set to reopen as health district headquarters

A shuttered Target on Decatur Avenue near U.S. Highway 95 is set to find new life as the Southern Nevada Health District’s headquarters.

The public health agency bought the 100,000-square-foot building at 278 S. Decatur Blvd. and four adjacent storefronts in December for $6.5 million. Health district officials are working with architectural firm PGAL and Martin Harris, a construction manager, to finalize plans for remodeling.

Renovations, slated to start next month, are expected to cost an additional $5 million, said Stephanie Bethel, spokeswoman for the health district.

The health district has applied for redevelopment funding from the city of Las Vegas, Bethel said, and the final decision is pending. The facility will have enough capacity to have all of the services provided at the current headquarters at 330 S Valley View Blvd. and services being delivered in the Las Vegas Medical District.

Andrew Glass, the district’s director of administration, told members of the Board of Health on Thursday that the redevelopment funds would enable the district to enhance the facility both inside and out. One area that needs to be addressed is bringing in more light with solar tubes or skylights.

“That building has no source of natural light,” Glass said. “There’s no windows.”

After the meeting, Glass said the search continues for a new site for a public health center in North Las Vegas. A center on West Craig Road closed its doors in February because it saw too few clients, but the East Las Vegas public health center on North Nellis Boulevard remains open about 10 miles away. Centers also remain in Henderson, Laughlin and Mesquite.

Health district staff from the Valley View location will move to the Decatur site later this year.

“We are working under the assumption that we would be able to occupy the building by the end of the year,” Bethel said. “However, as with any type of renovation, there could be unforeseen delays and we will have to accommodate them.”

Environmental health staff at 333 Rancho Dr. will remain there to be close to city of Las Vegas Developmental Services Group, located in the same building.

The Tuberculosis Treatment and Control Clinic will continue to operate in the northeast parking lot of the closed health center at 625 Shadow Lane, and the Sexual Health Clinic, combining the services of the former sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS clinics, will remain at 400 Shadow Lane. Staff from both Shadow Lane locations will be moved to the Decatur facility after it is completed, Glass said.

Health district officials want to preserve the former Target’s in-house restaurant area and to work with an organization that will hire at-risk youth to help run a future eatery.

Target closed the store in May following a financial performance review. Contact Steven Moore at smoore@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4563.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL