Ridgeview breaks ground on expansion

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Ridgeview Behavioral Hospital broke ground Tuesday for an expansion that should make it one of the top employers in Van Wert County when the project is completed.

With the $2.5 million expansion, Ridgeview, which is housed in the former Lincolnway Home facility, would nearly double both its available beds (from 40 to 75-80) and number of employees (from 155 to 300).

“This expansion will provide growth and opportunity, not only to those we serve, but actually the entire community itself,” said Ridgeview Administrator Pat Tracy. “We’ll be able to provide a greater amount of care for a population vastly underserved … (while also) creating jobs in an area that recently has been facing an uncertain economic time.”

Tracy also had praise for Ridgeview’s current employees. “What I’ve seen from the people here is that they are hard-working, ready to pitch in and they will do whatever it takes to make this a success.”

Tracy and the Van Wert County commissioners were mutually complimentary, with Tracy praising the commissioners and county Business Outreach Coordinator Sarah Smith for their assistance.

“We would like recognize the Van Wert County commissioners … they have helped us and guided us through this whole process,” he said.

“He gives us a lot of credit, but we give him a lot of credit,” Commissioner Todd Wolfrum said. “This is 300 jobs for the community, basically out of nowhere … that’s huge for our community.”

Wolfrum also commended Tracy and Ridgeview for their decision to not seek tax abatement after they found out that schools and other community agencies would benefit from those taxes.

Tracy  thanked Smith for her help in guiding Ridgeview officials through the process needed to get the project underway. “Sarah really helped us so much, helping guide us through this process,” he said.

The Ridgeview administrator also thanked Van Wert Municipal Court Judge Jill Leatherman and Common Pleas Judge Charles Steele for their assistance, and was very complimentary of the Middle Point Fire Department, represented by Fire Chief Craig King at the groundbreaking, noting the department has been very helpful to Ridgeview over the past months.

The Ridgeview expansion project, which was designed by Design Collaborative Architects + Engineers and will be constructed by Tomas & Marker Construction of Columbus, is expected to be completed sometime this summer.

Ridgeview provides in-house, short-term mental health and substance abuse intervention services.