Henderson rehabilitation hospital OK’d

Valerie Miller

Monday, Feb. 15, 1999 | 11:51 a.m.

The availability of specialized medical services in Henderson may soon improve. The Planning Commission last week paved the way for the construction of Henderson's first major rehabilitation hospital.

Planners at Thursday's meeting approved the Horizon Health Care Center, which will include a 75,000-square-foot rehabilitation hospital and nursing facility. The 120-bed hospital would specialize in treating patients with spinal cord and head injuries and other serious injuries.

"Our vision for the site really is to focus on rehabilitation, and there is nothing like this in Henderson right now," Susanne Guttenberg, one of the principle owners, said.

"We have two similar facilities in New York, and we believe very strongly in being able to send (injured) people back into their communities," she added.

The facility will consist of three lots on 10 acres at 1203 West Horizon Ridge Parkway at the corner of Viento Puntero Road, about three blocks west of Gibson Road.

Besides the hospital, the project will include two other buildings -- a two-story 44,000-square-foot office building for doctors and other medical staff and a single-story 6,000-square-foot structure.

Joe Cracraft, past president of the Nevada Physical Therapy Association, thinks having a rehabilitation hospital in the southeast part of the valley is a good idea. He also sees it servicing the Green Valley area and Boulder City.

"It seems like all of the hospitals have been centered in the northwest," Cracraft said. "We are getting more seniors here in Las Vegas who are retiring. Their coming here only increases the need for skilled nursing and hospitals."

During the meeting, commissioners expressed concerns over the impact the facility would have on the surrounding neighborhood and placed restrictions on the hours of operation and the route of traffic to the facility.

No neighbors spoke out against the hospital at the meeting.

As part of the conditions, the two auxiliary building could be open only 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The hospital would be staffed around the clock. In addition, delivery vehicles would be limited to using Horizon Ridge Parkway to avoid traffic congestion on nearby residential streets.

The developers of the project, R&S Development, maintained the project would have a very low impact on the surrounding area.

"The impacts (of the facility) would be less than if single-family homes were put here," John Marchiano, who represented the developer, told the planners.

"There are no ambulances, no sirens, no major traffic and even very minimal deliveries," he said. "This will have all the benefits of a hospital without any of the detriments."