New hospital nearly ready to open in Willits

A life-sized statue of legendary racehorse Seabiscuit stands near the entrance to the newly completed Howard Memorial Hospital in Willits, a nod to his owner, who brought the first hospital to the small northern Mendocino County town almost 80 years ago.

Bronze statues of that man, Charles Howard, and the doctor who inspired him to donate the money for the original hospital in 1927, within days will be joining the horse at the new, 74,000-square-foot, $64 million hospital.

The hospital is expected to have all its licenses and open its doors to patients in mid-October, but anyone can visit during a grand opening from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. The event begins with a dedication ceremony and will include tours of the facilities, refreshments and children’s activities. Assigned tours are offered from 2 to 4 p.m.

“It’s exciting. It’s an awesome building,” especially given the size of Willits, which has an estimated population of less than 5,000, said Margie Handley, president of the Howard Memorial Hospital’s foundation board. Fifteen years ago, the board initiated the drive to replace the original, 87-year-old structure.

The project ran into a number of snags, including insufficient funds, but it was bailed out by Adventist Health, which stepped in and paid for the hospital construction in exchange for a 50-year lease. It also has been operating the older hospital.

“We’re very grateful to them in helping to fulfill our dream,” Handley said.

The new hospital replaces the 30,000-square-foot building constructed with major funding from Howard, an automobile magnate who retired his legendary Depression-era racehorse to a ranch south of Willits. He donated $42,000 for a hospital after his son, Frank, died of injuries sustained in an automobile crash on the ranch. There was no hospital in Willits at that time.

The older hospital needed to be replaced because it is too small and does not meet seismic safety standards.

The new hospital includes state-of-the-art surgical suites, emergency treatment rooms, physical therapy facilities, medical imaging services, a community garden, a “farm to fork” organic restaurant and a helipad.

It is expected to enhance Adventist Health’s plans for bringing a physician residency program to Mendocino County and attracting more doctors generally to the area.

“I think it’s really going to put Willits on the map for health care,” said Handley, whose foundation is raising funds to add a wellness center, hospital campus housing and a teaching auditorium to the site.

“It’s not over for us,” Handley said.

You can reach Staff Writer Glenda Anderson at 462-6473 or glenda.anderson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MendoReporter.