Federal officials from the Veterans Administration have narrowed down their search for a new clinic to at least two locations in Tomball: the ninth floor of Tomball Regional Hospital (TRH) and the building formerly occupied by Klein’s Super Market.

It is unclear if the VA has identified more than those two sites; a representative involved in the project did not return phone calls or e-mails to the Tribune as of press time last week.

However, both Tomball Regional Medical Center CEO Lynn LeBeouf and Lori Klein Quinn, representing the Klein family, have confirmed that the VA has contacted them expressing interests in their facilities in order to open a 30,000-squre-foot clinic.

Carpenter/Robbins Commercial Real Estate, Inc., the agent for the VA charged with exploring and obtaining possible sites for the new clinic, sent letters to TRMC and the Klein family requesting information about their sites and bid proposals.

Pictured, the building that housed the former Klein’s Super Market is being considered by the Veteran’s Administration for a new Tomball clinic.

File Photo

Both submitted bids by the Dec. 24 deadline and are awaiting a decision by the VA, which is expected to come by the spring of 2011.

The Klein facility has been on the market since April, when Klein’s Super Market closed its doors after 88 years. Quinn explained the family has received several offers on the property, but is waiting to see what the VA decides before moving forward.

The Klein family has turned over the negotiations to Tom Condon, an agent for The Betz Companies. Quinn and Condon attended the Dec. 20 Tomball City Council meeting to ask that the city abandon Klein Road, which lies behind the building, should the VA choose the site.

Quinn and Condon explained that the VA requires a site that has contiguous parking and by abandoning the road, the land could be used exclusively by the VA. The eastern portion of the roadway, however, would be left in tact for use by the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce for access to its office.

The council agreed to abandon the road should the VA choose the Klein location.

Quinn also stated that the family is considering selling the property to a developer, rather than lease it to the VA, but only one that would, in turn, lease it to the VA.

The VA has stated that the federal government “will pay no more than the appraised fair market value for the building,” according to the bid letter submitted to Klein and TRH.

What that amount is at either TRH or Klein’s has yet to be determined. The VA also requires that the facility be renovated by the owner and move-in ready.

“It (the lease payment) has to be low enough, but at the same time, you need to cover your costs, or sell to a developer who would do that,” Quinn said.

LeBouef said TRH is interested in housing the clinic in order to further its medical services to the community.

“We’re a healthcare facility for our community,” he said. “It just fits the mission of our hospital to service our community’s health care needs.”

Quinn said the priority was getting the clinic opened in Tomball, regardless of the facility.

“Whether it’s our property or somewhere else, we need that for our veterans,” she said. “The important thing is to get this in town.”

The VA has previously targeted 2012 as the most likely date for opening a clinic in Tomball.

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