Holyoke Health Center Celebrates Opening of New Building to Expand Care Access
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Health Center announced the grand opening of its newly restored space in the Russell Osborne Building, located at 245 High St. across from Holyoke City Hall. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on Wednesday, June 17 at 3:30 p.m. to celebrate the completion of the project, which expands access to healthcare for the Holyoke community. A community open house for prospective patients will immediately follow the ceremony.
Built in 1885 by architect James Clough, the Russell Osborne Building originally housed the Russell Osborne Co., a hallmark of Holyoke’s industrial past. In restoring this iconic Romanesque Revival structure, Holyoke Health Center has preserved its historic integrity while breathing new life into it as a modern community health hub that honors Holyoke’s past and carries its legacy forward through accessible, community-centered care.
The new facility plays a vital role in meeting the growing needs of Holyoke and surrounding communities. The first floor will serve as a dedicated space for vaccination clinics and a new patient access center, offering convenient entry points for those seeking primary care, preventive services, and immunizations. The second floor houses the Health Center’s Call Center, allowing its former location to be repurposed for additional clinical teams.
The upper floors are being developed to meet the Health Center’s evolving administrative needs, ensuring that its infrastructure keeps pace with the community it serves. These improvements are designed to enhance efficiency, expand patient access, and strengthen coordination across all care departments.
“By expanding into this new space, we are creating more ways for our patients to connect with the care they need, from vaccinations and new patient enrollment to ongoing primary and specialty services,” said Dr. Alejandro Esparza-Perez, CEO of Holyoke Health Center. “This project is not just about expanding our footprint; it’s about expanding our commitment to the health of our communities. The Russell Osborne Building represents our promise to make care more accessible, more responsive, and more connected to the heart of our community.”
Funding for this project was made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act and a Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services grant. The renovation underscores Holyoke Health Center’s ongoing commitment to downtown Holyoke, supporting economic revitalization and promoting community well-being.
This project builds on the center’s 2019 acquisition of the former Steiger Building, now home to the Holyoke Vision Center. Together, these initiatives reaffirm Holyoke Health Center’s dedication to improving the health and vitality of the community while preserving the character of Holyoke’s historic core.