Neighborhood Healthcare says it has locked in key financing to overhaul its long-running Lakeside health center, a multimillion-dollar effort that local leaders say will grow primary, dental and behavioral care for thousands of East County residents. The nonprofit plans to add exam rooms and specialty services to cut down travel time and wait lists for low-income patients, and construction crews are already on site as the organization works to boost clinic capacity across San Diego County.
Project price tag and fundraising plan
As reported by the San Diego Business Journal, the Lakeside overhaul is projected to cost $7.8 million and is being folded into a broader $10 million capital campaign. According to the San Diego Business Journal, the plan relies on a mix of campaign donations, loans and operating revenue to pay for the work.
Funding and local support
Local money is already starting to flow. East County Magazine reports that the Grossmont Healthcare District has approved a $250,000 award to support the Lakeside expansion. Neighborhood Healthcare also says San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson and the Board of Supervisors signed off on a $100,000 allocation for the project, according to a news release on the organization’s site.
What the rebuild will include
The project will replace the current clinic with a roughly 12,600-square-foot, two-story health center that nearly triples the site’s usable space, according to the San Diego Business Journal. Reporting there notes that the expansion is expected to add exam rooms and dental operatories and to broaden services to include more primary care, behavioral health and women’s services, with plans for podiatry and chiropractic care. The push comes as the existing Lakeside center serves roughly 9,000 people, and officials say a large share of patients live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
A growing system
The Lakeside overhaul is just one piece of a larger growth streak for Neighborhood Healthcare. Contractor H+W Engineering lists a roughly 15,000-square-foot Rialto hub among recent projects for the nonprofit. The organization has also been active on the real estate front elsewhere: earlier this year, Neighborhood Healthcare made a large purchase on Valley Parkway in Escondido as it consolidates and expands outpatient capacity.
Next steps and how to help
Neighborhood Healthcare says construction activity is underway and that the new Lakeside center is expected to open in 2026, according to the organization’s construction update. The nonprofit has launched a capital campaign to help fund the work, and readers who want more details or to contribute can find information on Neighborhood Healthcare’s campaign and donation page.
