GORHAM – Martin’s Point Health Care plans to move its Gorham Health Care Center down the road and across the street into a new building that will be three times the size of its existing facility.

The Portland-based health care organization purchased 28 acres at the intersection of routes 25 and 237, less than a half-mile from its current location on Main Street in Gorham.

It sold five acres of that land to Beal’s Famous Old Fashioned Ice Cream, which has a store on adjacent land and plans to expand its operations there.

Martin’s Point, which has eight health care centers in Maine and one in New Hampshire, hopes to start construction work for the $5 million project in November and open next August.

The new 12,600-square-foot building will have room for six family doctors, including the four who currently work out of Gorham, as well as radiology services, which aren’t available at the existing health care center, said Dick Daigle, vice president of support services.

He said exam rooms will be located more conveniently to streamline the flow of patients, who will be consulted before construction starts about features they’d like to have.

The health care center, formerly called Bowdoin Medical Group, has leased an old farmhouse on Main Street since 1999, said company spokeswoman Kate Leahy.

“We’re thrilled that they’ve chosen to expand and stay in Gorham,” said Tom Ellsworth, director of the Gorham Economic Development Corp.

Ellsworth said he didn’t have any specific details about the Beal’s expansion plan.

The owners of the ice cream company could not be reached Friday.

A few years ago, Beal’s bought about an acre and a half a mile farther down the road for a potential expansion.

Ellsworth said that land is now for sale.

Leslie Bridgers can be contacted at: 791-6364 or at

lbridgers@pressherald.com