Providence Alaska officials announced plans to open a medical services facility at the corner of the Old Glenn Highway and North Eagle River Access Road by 2008.

The announcement comes on the heels of a similar one from Mat-Su Regional Hospital made in late December, disclosing plans for a 12,000-square-foot facility on Snowmobile Lane.

Becky Hultberg, regional director of communications with Providence, said the project is still in the development stages, but confirmed it would include a primary care center, medical offices and space for visiting specialists.

“We don’t know the specifics just yet,” she said. “It’s still early in the planning, but it’s likely to have those key elements and possibly include other related services.”

Providence purchased the two-plus acre parcel and began developing plans in February.

“Our goal has us always looking at ways to serve the community, and coming into Eagle River meets the needs of the community,” Hultberg said. “We’ve identified there is a growing demand in the Chugiak-Eagle River area for medical services, and we want to be there for the community.”

Hultberg wasn’t sure when construction would begin or exactly when in 2008 the facility will be open.

“Our timetable is being developed with the plans,” she said. “This project will be completed sometime in 2008.”

Hultberg suggested that the medical building might not be all Providence has planned for the area, but stopped short of saying a hospital might be in the future plans.

“We’re always looking to identify the medical needs of a community,” she said. “And as the Chugiak-Eagle River area continues to grow, we want to be a part of that.”

The addition of Providence to the local landscape, combined with Mat-Su Regional’s plans to build a similar facility means an increase in options for local residents.

According to Elizabeth Ripley, director of public relations for Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, construction on the five-acre site at the end of Snowmobile Lane will begin in June, and the doors will be open for service sometime this fall or early winter.

She added that the new facility will house primary care services in addition to leasing office space to physicians and specialists wanting to start a practice in the area. There will also be a small laboratory and X-ray service in the building.

Reach the reporter at darrell.breese@alaskastar.com.