Planned Parenthood sells west-side center to LIFT Orlando – Orlando Sentinel

Planned Parenthood has sold its health center near Camping World Stadium on Orlandos west side to the not-for-profit LIFT Orlando for $1 million.

The sale is part of LIFT Orlandos effort to acquire property around the stadium and revitalize the area with better housing, education and jobs. LIFT declined to identify specific uses for the Planned Parenthood property, but LIFT is eyeing an early childhood learning center and health and wellness services.

Planned Parenthood plans to find a new, larger location soon, according to a statement from the local office. The health center provides a range of services, from birth control to abortion to hormone replacement therapy for transgender people.

We are committed to serving the patients who rely on us for care, and have no master plan yet in place for a new location. Our intention is to not disrupt patient services, Barbara Zdravecky, CEO for Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida.

Demand for Planned Parenthood services, particularly birth control, has grown since President Donald Trump was elected, fueled by fears that health benefits could be cut. Growth in the local agencys services has also been fueled by Orlandos strong population growth and large college student population at University of Central Florida.

The agency is committed to finding a new location somewhere in central Orlando, said spokeswoman Anna Eskamani.

We have a health center in East Orlando and in Kissimmee, but the downtown location is critical, Eskamani said. We definitely want to stay in the city, with access from all highways.

Eskamani said the new location will need to provide room for administrative offices, clinical services and a private parking lot. Planned Parenthood has been targeted by anti-abortion protests at its Central Florida clinics. Its Kissimmee location opened in 2014. Planned Parenthoods local branch has owned the 1.6-acre west-side property since 2003, according to county records.

Nationally, the demand for IUDs, or long-term birth control, has tripled since the election.

Women are looking for long-term birth control just in case their birth control benefit gets waived, said Deana Rohlinger, professor of sociology at Florida State University.

Rohlinger said conservatives often target Planned Parenthood for funding cuts because it is an abortion provider. But she said abortion is a small portion of the services Planned Parenthood provides. She aid do it yourself abortion advice has proliferated on the internet this year.

Abortion is at historically low numbers. One of the concerns is, if we make birth control inaccessible to women, that abortions will rise, Rohlinger said. Making birth control more acceptable and helping women and families to make reproductive decisions has really helped lower the number of abortions..

Planned Parenthood of Central Florida reported $15.5 million in revenue in 2015, the latest year for which financial data was available. Of that, $5.2 million came from contributions or grants. Eskamani said grants and donations have grown in 2017.

LIFT has secured millions in financing for its centerpiece project so far, to construct 200 apartments on Orange Center Boulevard west of Tampa Avenue, called Pendana at West Lakes. The goal is an aim of mixing renters from various income levels, including some transitioning from homelessness.

Contact me with a business news tip at pbrinkmann@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5660; Twitter is @PaulBrinkmann

Originally posted here:
Planned Parenthood sells west-side center to LIFT Orlando - Orlando Sentinel