Increased production at Empire, new women’s clinic part of $2M in commercial construction in April

Builders in the Poplar Bluff area remain busy with nearly $2 million in commercial renovation and addition permits filed with the city already in April.

Contractors, electricians, plumbers and other trades remain in demand, according to city officials.

The majority of the work to receive permits in the first two weeks of April will occur at properties owned by Empire Comfort Systems and Missouri Highlands Health Care.

It will mean the operation of a new division for the manufacturer of heaters, grills and fireplaces, while Missouri Highlands plans to open a new women’s clinic in Poplar Bluff by July 1.

Empire

Empire received permits to complete a $900,000 renovation at their factory on South 11th Street, which has been open almost a year.

A firewall is being constructed and work is being done to set up another division, according to plans on file with the city planning department.

Additional utilities have been added recently at the site to accommodate a greater need for electricity, city officials said.

The work is occurring within the existing 136,000-square-foot building, where production began in August 2019. The first product to move to Poplar Bluff was a line of fireplace inserts. Company officials have said more products would be produced at the new facility.

Messages left Thursday afternoon for Empire officials were not returned as of press time.

Missouri Highlands

Missouri Highlands applied this month for permits to complete approximately $937,000 in remodeling work to a building at 2875 James St.

It will be the site of a new women’s clinic, which is set to open July 1, said CEO Karen White.

The space will contain more than 10 exam rooms, two ultrasound rooms, procedure rooms and other space.

Missouri Highlands will be taking over some operations currently overseen by Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, as part of an agreement between the two agencies. Some staff members are also transitioning from PBRMC to Missouri Highlands as part of the agreement, White said.

As a federally qualified health center, Missouri Highlands is ordered to meet the needs of underinsured and uninsured residents, White explained. This allows services to be offered on a sliding pay scale, providing lower costs for those most in need.

The clinic will be able to provide a longer period of continuous care for pregnant women on medicaid, which expires a short period after a baby is born, she said.

“Once that runs out, most women don’t do any type of follow up care,” White said. “That’s a critical time, the first year after giving birth. … Health insurance should not be a determining factor in women’s health care.”

Other permits

Commercial remodel or addition permits were also issued in April to:

• Brad Chronister for an estimated $130,000 of work on 626 S. Sixth St., for an interior remodel to divide the building into office space and a separate commercial space for rent.