CLERMONT – The Clermont City Council unanimously approved Encompass Health Corp.’s (NYSE: EHC) plans for a 100-bed, inpatient physical rehabilitation center. The new facility, proposed by the Birmingham-based healthcare company, will be built on a 32-acre parcel on south State Road 50 about a quarter-mile east of Hancock Road.
Angie Langley, CEO and founder of Langley Consulting Group, who worked with Encompass Health’s real-estate division on the proposal, said, “As a resident of south Lake County, I know first-hand this project would be a great benefit to our community.”
With 25% of the city’s 44,300 population over 65 years old, and with a reputation as a training ground for Olympians and triathletes, Clermont has become a magnet for sports medicine and rehabilitation services.
Langley said Encompass Health’s physical rehabilitation center, approved earlier this month, is estimated to bring 150 new jobs with an average annual salary of $71,000. Additionally, the company has agreed to make land available for a right-of-way when Hooks Street, a major east-west throughfare, is extended.
Lake County’s Agency for Economic Prosperity estimated that once the center is built and fully operational, it is expected to contribute more than $12.4 million in labor income annually.
The 83,500 square-foot center will be built in three phases, with 50, 20 and 30 beds respectively. The one-story building and parking lot will occupy about 11 acres. The remaining 21 acres will be used for future commercial purposes. Encompass Health purchased the property last October for $6.5 million.
Encompass Health is the largest owner and operator of inpatient rehabilitation facilities in the United States with reported net operating annual revenues of $4.6 billion.
Daryl Carter, president of Orlando-based Maury L. Carter & Associates, the commercial real-estate company that represented Encompass Health, had high praise for Langley’s assistance in winning approval for the project.
“Angie’s hard work, standing in the community, relationships, attention to detail and keen mind to develop strategies were critical to our success,” he said.
