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Multnomah County Deputy Director Julie Sullivan-Springhetti is thankful that super storm Sandy is not affecting the West Coast. If it were, Multnomah County Health Department officials would be in big trouble, she said.

鈥淭he people we are all depending on are sitting in a place that has extreme challenges in terms of being able to withstand something,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f the 鈥榝rankenstorm’ was hitting here, they would be the ones to respond to the public health element of any emergency, and they are sitting ironically in a very vulnerable place.鈥�

The entire Multnomah County Health Department operates in the 89-year-old McCoy Building, which originally housed a department store. The space is cramped, it has high operational costs and it needs seismic upgrades that would cost approximately $13 million, Sullivan-Springhetti said.

鈥淭he McCoy just has some challenges,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was never perfectly suited for what it became. Going into it just not does feel like going into a place that is really such an important part of people’s health care.鈥�

However, City Council next week is expected to finalize a proposal for construction of a new $38.5 million health department building at Northwest Sixth Avenue and Hoyt Street, next to the Bud Clark Commons.

Nearly a decade was needed to secure money for the project, Sullivan-Springhetti said.

鈥淎s this need (for a new building) was becoming more clear, the county has also been in 12 straight years of budget cuts,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his has never penciled out until now, and that’s what makes this an amazing and unique moment.鈥�

The project was spearheaded in 2007 by then-chairman Ted Wheeler, but was stopped short because the health department didn’t have enough money.

However, a deal was struck in 2008 between Multnomah County and the Portland Development Commission so that $26.9 million of River District urban renewal money will now go to the project. The remainder of the cost will be covered by the county.

Home Forward owns the property, now a parking lot, and will be the project developer. The site previously was pegged for the Bud Clark Commons, but that changed when the project was downscaled. The agency jumped at the chance to work with the Multnomah County Health Department because it provides health care for many Bud Clark Commons residents.

鈥淥ur relationship with low-income health care in that building is very important,鈥� said Michael Buonocore, deputy executive director of Home Forward. 鈥淭he folks that will be working in that building will have an appreciation for the residents of the Bud Clark Commons. It will be a neighbor that will understand our goals.鈥�

Home Forward will not charge the county to use the property, which was a big reason why the county chose it, Sullivan-Springhetti said.

Buonocore believes the new building will benefit the Old Town Chinatown area greatly and could help spur activity in the area.

鈥淭here will be a lot of people who go to work in that building everyday who will be headed out to run errands, buy lunch and do things people often do during their workday,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat’s a lot of people with buying power that will be in that neighborhood now.鈥�

The project is still in early in design, so it’s unclear what the building would look like. However, height limits preclude it from being taller than 75 feet. And the health department has made it clear that it will need at least 90,000 square feet to comfortably accommodate 250 employees and all of its operations 鈥� including health clinics, administrative offices and laboratories.

Home Forward has issued a request for proposals for the project.