More than three years ago, a prominent physician broke ground on a state-of-the-art medical complex in East Hempfield Township.

Dr. Mark H. Hassel foresaw two buildings on Noll Drive, between Good Drive and Rohrerstown Road.

In April 2005, the dermatologic surgeon started constructing the first, a 12,900-square-foot structure to house a surgery center and his practice.

Six weeks later, tragedy struck.

Hassel was diagnosed with an aggressive stomach cancer. Within months, he stopped construction. Hassel died in January 2007 at age 47.

Now the land is in new hands. But the new owners are following the broad strokes of Hassel's plan, bringing medical offices to the site after all.

"It's nice to bring closure to the project. This is a testament to Dr. Hassel and his vision," said Joseph R. Deerin.

Deerin is finding tenants for the first building for new owner Blackford Development. Occupancy is set for 2009.

A second building was planned by Hassel but never started. Its vacant site was bought in April by Manning & Rommel Associates, an ophthalmology practice.

The practice now is constructing the building and will move in next month.

"We've been able, to a certain extent, to complete the idea, although it's not exactly what (Hassel) had in mind. ... The overall concept held true," said Dr. Frank Manning.

The first building, at 2125 Noll Drive, sat incomplete and idle for three years.

Hassel sold it for $2.2 million in November 2005 to Lancaster General, courthouse records show. The health system envisioned finishing the building to house outpatient services.

But Lancaster General never did, choosing to locate those services elsewhere, said spokesman John Lines.

Last week, it sold the still-incomplete building to Blackford Development, a locally based investor and developer, for $1.95 million.

Tom McDermott and Rich Heslin of NAI Commercial Partners represented Lancaster General in the transaction; LMS represented Blackford.

The new owner will bring different occupants, so the interior framing done by Hassel to configure the space for his plan has been removed, said Deerin.

Work now is under way to finish the interior, at an undisclosed cost.

Deerin said a medical office has leased half of the space, with occupancy due by February. Leases with two more offices for the rest are being finalized. They are due to move in by June. He declined to name the offices.

The second building, at 2115 Noll Drive next door, is being developed by Manning & Rommel Associates at a total cost of more than $2.5 million.

The 21-employee practice, now a block away on Embassy Drive, plans to open in the new building Dec. 8.

With a 12,900-square-foot first floor, plus an unfinished second floor of 2,400 square feet, the new building will more than double the practice's space.

The new structure has the same footprint as Hassel envisioned and shares a parking lot with its neighbor building, again as Hassel proposed, as Manning & Rommel kept his land development plan.

Within those parameters, though, the practice designed a building to fulfill its own needs. Most notably, it will have the space to allow both physicians to see a full schedule of patients.

The new building will have a Lasik surgery suite and much larger optical, exam, office, waiting and parking areas, improving convenience for patients and efficiency for the practice, said Manning.

Staff writer Tim Mekeel can be reached at tmekeel@LNPnews.com or 481-6030.