Donor gives Portland House for Skagway senior center; clinic plans pharmacy, clinic and assisted living

Al Wall, director of the Dahl Memorial Clinic, told the Skagway Municipality Civic Affairs Committee on March 26 that donor Virginia Long has donated the use of the Portland House to create a senior center that preserves the building’s history and houses health and supportive services. "Virginia Long has generously donated the use of the Portland House … to start and establish a senior center in Skagway," Wall said.

The plan is staged in three phases. Wall said the first step is an estimate and targeted renovation of a large front room off 5th Avenue that still needs finishing. Phase one also includes opening a retail pharmacy in a storefront currently leased by the Skagway Development Council; Wall said the pharmacy, with an interactive teller machine provided by Tongass Federal Credit Union, is expected to open July 1 and will generate revenue to help fund later phases.

Phase two would create a senior center with a walk-in clinic staffed by a provider, a medical assistant and certified nursing aides. Wall said services would include immunizations, COVID boosters, education, senior activities and a senior lunch program that the clinic is discussing with Catholic Community Services. "We will be having a walk in clinic with, staffed by a provider and medical assistant and 2 certified nursing aids," Wall said.

The final phase calls for renovating an outbuilding and constructing three efficiency assisted-living apartments for seniors and people with disabilities. Wall said the assisted-living units would be accredited through a national agency to qualify for higher Medicare reimbursement rates.

Wall described a revenue model that combines pharmacy sales, billing and multiple grant applications. He said the project team is writing five grants (one Rasmussen Foundation grant, three senior-and-disability-services grants, and a historic-preservation grant); several grant deadlines are in June, with awards expected in July–August and funds beginning in October. "We believe that in combination of the pharmacy and the 3 grants plus billing out of that structure, we will be self sustaining fairly quickly," he said, while cautioning that completion timelines depend on grant awards and fundraising.

On governance, Wall said the Dahl Memorial Clinic is moving toward operating the senior-center and pharmacy activities under a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in partnership with the municipality. He asked the assembly for letters of support for state grant applications but said he does not expect the municipality to provide direct funding. "It would be great if the municipality could give us a letter of support … but we don't see any financial obligation for the municipality in that process," Wall said.

Donor Virginia Long spoke briefly at the meeting to emphasize preservation and the project's community purpose. Committee members asked for follow-up materials; Wall said the clinic board will approve a detailed two-and-a-half-year work plan and that he will email municipal staff about the requested letter of support.

The Civic Affairs Committee did not take a formal vote on the project at the March 26 meeting; committee members thanked the donors and project team and asked the clinic to provide a written update to the assembly.