The Panhandle Health District has awarded Ginno Construction Co., of Coeur d’Alene, a $1.7 million contract to construct a public health facility in Sandpoint.

The project calls for Ginno to renovate an 8,100-square-foot, two-story building and expand the structure with a 1,900-square-foot, single-story addition, says Melanie Collett, a PHD spokeswoman who’s based at the district’s regional office in Hayden.

Architects West Inc., of Coeur d’Alene, designed the project.

The project site is located at 2101 W. Pine near Travers Park, more than a mile west of the current Sandpoint PHD offices, at 1020 Michigan.

“It’s a lot more centralized near schools and parks,” Collett says of the new site, adding, “With more arterial roadways, it’s more convenient for people, and it has a better parking lot.”

The Sandpoint offices are scheduled to move to the new site in April, Collett says.

At its current location, the offices are split, with the district’s community health services entrance on Michigan Street and its environmental services entrance on Marion Avenue.

Collett says the new facility will have a single entrance.

“That’s also nice for people going in for a variety of services,” she says.

The health district has a staff of 20 people based in Sandpoint. 

“Our Bonner County office does have a lot of business,” she says. “We’re hoping to grow in this new facility.”

The Panhandle Health District serves the five North Idaho counties and is one of six health districts throughout Idaho.