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

LOCK HAVEN – More than a year after its Cree Drive facility was converted from a hospital to an outpatient emergency department, UPMC has announced it will transfer the property – including the Haven Place senior living facility – 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 was made Thursday afternoon in the form of a UPMC press release, which said: “After many months of careful evaluation and thoughtful planning, UPMC and Allaire Health Services are pleased to announce a new partnership designed to bring new opportunities to Lock Haven.”

Under an agreement between the companies, UPMC will work with Allaire over the next 60 to 90 days to transfer ownership of the campus at 24 Cree Drive, which includes Haven Place, part of UPMC Senior Communities.

The press release states that UPMC will continue to operate its outpatient emergency department operations, which include foot and ankle care, pain management, imaging, laboratory, orthopedic and sports medicine, rehabilitation services and rheumatology, from its current locations through a lease agreement with Allaire.

“Allaire will assume ownership of the property following regulatory review. After that, UPMC will lease the needed space from Allaire to maintain services such as the outpatient emergency department and other outpatient specialty services on-site,” UPMC public relations director Tyler Wagner told The Express.

Wagner did not provide a definitive lease term, but said, “The details of the long-term lease are still being worked out. UPMC’s commitment to continue serving the community is driven at the highest levels of the organization, and we look forward to providing local care and services to meet current needs and for years to come.”

“In our search for a partner, our focus was on our residents, employees and community and finding an organization that is committed not only to Lock Haven but also to expanding services in Clinton County,” said Patti Jackson-Gehris, president of UPMC of North Central Pa. “Allaire is a thoughtful partner that already serves the region, having been entrusted with Lock Haven Rehabilitation & Senior Living by the Clinton County Commissioners, and we see tremendous opportunities to work together to improve the health and well-being of the region. UPMC is proud to have found a partner like Allaire, and together we are focused on finding additional opportunities to bring new services to the region.”

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

Allaire currently runs Lock Haven Rehabilitation & Senior Living, located at 22 Cree Dr., Lock Haven, which it acquired from Clinton County government in 2022.

“We see so many opportunities here in Lock Haven and I am 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 of Allaire Health Services. “I commend UPMC, especially the staff and other community members. They have done an outstanding job of ensuring residents get the care they deserve and we will continue to invest in these facilities to attract additional providers and resources and expand the services available locally.”

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

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

“Our employees are highly valued. Allaire is committed to a smooth transition and plans to hire appropriate employees to ensure continuity of operations,” he said. “Whether at UPMC or Allaire, our goal is to ensure each employee has the opportunity to remain employed.”

The press release did not include any comments on two other UPMC facilities in Clinton County. The health care company has an outpatient center on High Street in Lock Haven and another in McElhattan.