Health center studies options if JCC sells its building

It's March 9. Olde Towne Medical & Health Center may have to move or buy the building where it serves 5,000 uninsured and underinsured area residents. Williamsburg police make murder arrest.

Clockwise, from top left: Olde Towne location at social services buiding; lab technician at work, dental patient examination, Executive Director Aaron Thompson (Williamsburg Watch photos)

James City County is considering selling the building Olde Towne Medical & Dental Center has used to provide care to uninsured area residents since 1993, creating uncertainty for the future of the nonprofit group.

The Center has 11,000 feet of space in a building it shares with James City County Social Services department. But the county is looking to sell the building when it opens its new county government center and moves social services there in two years.

“It would be difficult to find another space...that would work for Old Towne....and at a price that Ole Towne would be able to afford,” we were told by Rebecca Bruhl, who is chair of Olde Towne’s board of directors.

Several years before her appointment, the county had considered taking up all the space in the 29,000 square-foot building to house Social Services. Olde Towne formed a working group to look for alternative sites, Bruehl said, but was unable to find suitable space in the right price range.

She said the board has now conv…