Methodist Hospital’s Family Medicine Residency Program selects Denver Harbor Clinic
Houston Methodist selects Denver Harbor Clinic to house its Family Residency Program. Plans are finalized for a new 9,360 square foot facility to accommodate the program director, three physicians and twelve residents annually. Six family medicine residents and one attending physician are integrated into the existing clinic staff in January 2006.
Vecino’s CEO, Daniel Montez, receives Community Health Leadership Award
In recognition for his work in the Denver Harbor community, Montez receives the 2005 St. Luke’s Leadership Award from St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities in Houston.
First permanent facility opens at former site of neighborhood cantina
After five years of planning, fund-raising and a few prayers, the Houston Community Health Center at 424 Hahlo — the site of a former cantina that once attracted drunks, brawls and prostitutes to the Denver Harbor residential neighborhood — opens in November 2004.
Construction begins on permanent site
Aided by a $153,000 challenge grant from the Meadows Foundation, construction on the new site — including demolishing the building’s interior, leaving the exterior walls — began in 2003.
Other funds come from the Southwest Bank of Texas, Gateway to Care, Houston Endowment, Herzstein Charitable Foundation, Texas Department of Health and the Enrico and Sandra de Portanova Charitable Foundation for a total of about $500,000.
Construction workers gutted the old cantina to build the Spanish-style clinic, with plans to expand the facility to adjoining vacant lots.
Work begins to meet guidelines that will qualify the organization for federal grant money.
Reyna Infante, who lives across the street from the new clinic, said she doesn’t miss the old cantina, with its noise and sporadic shootings. As she watched the construction from her front porch, Infante, 79, said the medical clinic will be a welcome addition to the Denver Harbor community. “All the neighborhood is happy,” she said, “Because I think we are going to have something good for the people around here.”
(Excerpts taken from Houston Chronicle, A neighborhood menace becomes a medical clinic, October 31, 2014)
Closed neighborhood cantina is purchased
Realizing that finding a new location had become a priority, the organization turns to the small, family-run Frees Foundation for help.
Nancy Frees Fountain, managing director of the foundation, suggested the vacant cantina building when it came up for auction on foreclosure. After a title search and structural and environmental inspections cleared the path to buy the building and land, the Frees Foundation provides $150,000 for the property, about $8,000 over the asking price.
“We closed the deal in September 2003 and started raising funds for renovations,” said Daniel Montez, founder and CEO.