PHOTOS — Port Arthur Health Department welcomes in community to new headquarters
Published 4:17 pm Friday, March 1, 2024
Those pictured, include, Ron Burton, Charlotte Moses, Doneane Beckcom, Judith Smith, Thurman Bartie, LaTasha Mayon, Thomas Kinlaw III, Donald Frank, Harold Doucet, Kenneth Marks. (Natalie Picazo/The News)
Port Arthur Director of Health Services Judith Smith speaks at the grand opening of the new city health department building. Smith is surrounded by her Port Arthur team. (Natalie Picazo/The News)
Pictured, from left, are Jerry LaBove, Hani Tohme and Sina Nejad. Nejad works with Sigma Engineers, which designed the new health department building. (Natalie Picazo/The News)
Mayor Thurman Bartie and City Manager Ron Burton share a laugh at the City of Port Arthur Health Department Complex. (Asha Sahadeo/The News)
A bright display at the City of Port Arthur Health Department Complex. (Asha Sahadeo/The News)
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Staff members moved into the City of Port Arthur Health Department Complex on Jan. 29.
The facility fully opened on Monday with a ready to roll mandate.
So on Friday it was time to celebrate and officially welcome the community for a grand opening at 5860 9th Avenue in Port Arthur.
Transforming a near 50,000 square feet facility into a cohesive building to house the city’s health department was a multi-year effort.
Dr. Sina Nejad of Sigma Engineers helped redesign the former Texas Health and Human Services building.
The renovated building features color coded hallways and lines on the floor showing direction.
The facility includes areas for vaccination, employee service, laboratory, pharmacy, tuberculosis testing, vital statistics and more.
Sigma was chosen by the City of Port Arthur to design the new health department. Nejad said the cooperation they have received from the city staff, the city manager and the attorney is extraordinary, adding the contractor did a fantastic job on the project.
Renovations on the $4.5 million project began in October 2022 after the city purchased the building in 2020. It was built in 1995.
The reason for the new location is due to Motiva’s purchase of the old location at 449 Austin Avenue.
