Citing delays in financing, the Del Puerto Health Care District has amended its sale agreement with Keystone Pacific Business Park to hold off on buying two new building parcels and to cancel the sale of a third.

The sale of the first parcel was extended for another month — to June 30 — and the second parcel will close sale in September if the money comes through.

If next month’s sale happens as planned, it will mark a significant step in a years-long struggle to move Del Puerto Health Care Center to a larger space. The move caused some controversy last year when the center’s landlord, John Ramos, threatened to sue the city of Patterson after it approved the move despite a violation of the general plan’s zoning rules. Those rules have since been changed to allow health facilities to operate out of the Keystone development.

Bank and government loans are still pending, and district CEO Margo Arnold says a final bank loan approval letter will likely arrive next week. That’s what Del Puerto needs to enter the 30-day escrow period on the first parcel, which will sell for a little more than $1 million.

Del Puerto is also asking for $1.8 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has asked to see a finalized 2010-11 budget, as well as information on what the building will look like when it’s done, before it runs the loan application a second time.

“I don’t think we’re ready for that,” Arnold said at Tuesday’s board meeting, when the coming fiscal year budget was tentatively finalized.

Electrical and plumbing work at the new space will likely begin next week, she added.

The September sale of the second parcel will cost $803,088. A third parcel is now out of the picture because of the delay in obtaining the department of agriculture loan.

A move-in date has not been set for the new center, but if it is ready before the center’s current lease agreement ends — about 18 months from now — the district may sublet the building.

Downtown health clinic could open

A budget review at the health district board meeting Tuesday, May 25, revealed tentative plans to open a single-provider downtown clinic, but exactly where is still undecided.

The purpose seems to be to provide more health services in a centralized place and to add more specialized providers to the district.

“The goal of the district is to expand health care access,” Arnold said. “We’re focused on the health center (at Keystone), but we’re also focused on other needs.”

Arnold said one district goal is to have more providers, which will be possible with the bigger building at Keystone. The new, smaller clinic will get the process started as the health care center move takes place.