RAYMOND The town planning board has given the green light for Exeter Hospital to move ahead with plans to build a 24,000-square-foot medical office building just off Route 101.

Medical office building proposed for spot off Route 101 in Raymond

At a meeting last week, the board granted conditional approval for the one-story facility to be constructed on just over 3 acres at the corner of the Exit 5 westbound off-ramp and Freetown Road in Essex Commons.

According to officials, the building would be similar to the hospitals Epping Regional Health Center and would include primary care, rehabilitation, physical and occupational therapy, and other services.

It would also be built with the idea that urgent care would be offered at some point.

Construction isnt expected to begin for at least a couple of years.

Planning Board Chairman Jonathan Wood pointed out that the nonprofit hospitals new medical building would be located in an area thats considered a gateway to town.

For it to be non-revenue-producing for the town is not good. However, it would be a magnet for our existing commercial activities that are in that area because people coming here might actually stop and get something to eat or go buy something or something along those lines, he said, adding the town could look for a contribution in lieu of taxes.

Joseph Coronati of Jones & Beach Engineers in Stratham outlined the project for the board and highlighted what he considered one of the benefits to constructing medical office buildings in places like Raymond.

The idea of bringing a sort of satellite service to Raymond, I think, actually is better regionally because currently if anyone in Raymond or Fremont or Deerfield goes to Epping to go to their facility theyre driving right through your town.

The idea of creating these satellite locations actually reduces impacts because theres less traveling to get to the locations. Im in Deerfield, and we go to Epping so we drive through Raymond for all my kids appointments, my appointments, my wifes, and in the future we may not have to do that, he said.

Planning board member Gretchen Gott asked what the trigger would be to move ahead with an urgent care service.

The decision will be based on demand, which could be day one, said Phil Chaput, Exeter Hospitals senior director of facilities planning and project management.

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Plans progress to bring Exeter Hospital medical building to Raymond - The Union Leader