Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger purchased a medical office building in Scranton, Pa., currently occupied by its top competitor in the region, for $6.4 million, according to The Times-Tribune.
The 30,750-square-foot facility currently houses obstetrics and gynecology offices for the Commonwealth Health Physician Network, a physicians group with Commonwealth Health, Geisinger's main competitor in Northeast Pennsylvania. Commonwealth Health is a regional health system formed by Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems in 2012.
Prior to the purchase agreement, Geisinger leased part of the building for business offices. The health system attributed the purchase decision to a growing need for office space in Scranton.
"As part of the real estate transaction, we have assumed the leases of the current leasehold partners and intend to work with them while we build out the remaining space for clinical programming," Ron Beer, chief administrative officer of Geisinger Northeast, said in an emailed statement to The Times-Tribune. "At this time, we have not finalized which programs will expand into that location."
The two story building was constructed in 2011 and Commonwealth was an original tenant of the building. Commonwealth recently renewed its lease to 2022.
When asked about the purchase by Geisinger, a spokesperson for Commonwealth said they will remain for the terms of the lease agreement.