PHOTO PROVIDED A UPMC flag blows in the wind outside of former UPMC Lock Haven Hospital’s entrance. UPMC recently announced it will transfer the property, including Haven Place, to Allaire Health Services.

LOCK HAVEN — Over a year after it transitioned its facility along Cree Drive from a hospital into an Outpatient Emergency Department, UPMC has announced it will transition the property — including senior living facility Haven Place — to Allaire Health Services.

Allaire Health currently owns and operates the former Susque View Nursing Home — now Lock Haven Rehabilitation and Senior Living.

The announcement came Thursday afternoon via a press release from UPMC which stated “following many months of careful evaluation and thoughtful planning, UPMC and Allaire Health Services are excited to announce a new partnership to bring opportunity to Lock Haven.”

Through an agreement between the entities, UPMC will work with Allaire over the next 60 to 90 days to transition ownership of the campus, located at 24 Cree Drive, which includes Haven Place, a part of UPMC Senior Communities.

The release noted UPMC will continue to manage its operation from the outpatient emergency department that includes services for foot and ankle, pain management, imaging, laboratory, orthopedics and sports medicine, rehabilitation services and rheumatology at their current locations through a lease agreement with Allaire.

“Allaire will assume ownership of the property following regulatory review after which time UPMC will then lease needed space from Allaire to keep services like the Outpatient ED and other outpatient specialty services in place,” Tyler Wagner, UPMC’s Director of Public Relations, told The Express.

Wagner did not give a definitive length regarding for the lease agreement, but said, “details of the long-term lease agreement are still being finalized. UPMC’s commitment to continue to serve the community is driven at the highest level of the organization, and we look forward to providing local care and services to meet present needs and for years to come.”

“Throughout our search for a partner, our focus was on our residents, staff and the community, and identifying an organization that would commit not only to Lock Haven, but also to growing services in Clinton County,” said Patti Jackson-Gehris, president, UPMC in North Central Pa. “Allaire is a thoughtful partner already serving the region after being entrusted by Clinton County Commissioners with Lock Haven Rehabilitation & Senior Living, and we see tremendous opportunity to impact the health and wellness of the region together. UPMC is proud to have found a partner like Allaire, and together we’re focused on identifying additional opportunities to bring new services to the area.”

Allaire Health Services is a residential, long-term, rehabilitation and subacute care provider that manages and operates facilities throughout Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Vermont.

Allaire currently manages Lock Haven Rehabilitation & Senior Living located at 22 Cree Dr., Lock Haven, which it took ownership of from Clinton County Government in 2022.

“We see so much opportunity here in Lock Haven, and I’m excited about how we can work with UPMC and other community partners to bring vitality to the community,” said Ben Kurland, president, CEO, and owner, Allaire Health Services. “I commend UPMC, especially the staff, and other members of the community. They’ve done a stellar job of making sure residents get the care they deserve, and we will continue to invest in these facilities to attract additional providers and resources to expand services available locally.”

Haven Place is a 90-bed facility with skilled nursing and a memory care unit. With this transition, Allaire now offers 236 beds for long-term and short-term stays in Lock Haven.

According to Wagner approximately 120 employees support the operations of Haven Place.

“Our staff are highly valued. Allaire is interested in a smooth transition and plans to hire eligible employees to ensure the continuity of operations,” he said. “Whether with UPMC or Allaire, our goal is to make sure every employee has opportunities for continued employment.”

No comments were offered in the release regarding two other UPMC facilities in Clinton County. The healthcare entity has an Outpatient Center along High Street in Lock Haven and another located in McElhattan.