May 24, 2013 - 01:39 PM

If all goes according to plan, Federal Way's health care sector could significantly grow again this year.

Two unnamed health care providers are scheduled to move into some of Federal Way's vacant office space, according to Patrick Doherty, director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Federal Way.

"Once we get those, we will have quite a list of newcomers," he said, adding that the city has decreased its vacant space, though it's still around 600,000 square feet. Doherty said that "it's great to see the buildings fill up" whether or not the tenants are health care-related, but he also added that City has also actively been encouraging the formation and growth of a health care cluster.

"We didn't create it or anything," he said. "If a certain number of health care providers, or any other industry, start to cluster in your community, you go out and find out why and try to support and grow that cluster."

Doherty was tight-lipped about the potential new health care tenants, but did reveal that a major regional medical center in the area is looking to open a clinic in Federal Way, and that a physician group is in final lease negotiations on a building.

While nothing's been finalized, Doherty said after the two openings are announced the city will likely start advertising directly to health care employers in an effort to grow this emerging cluster.

"Health care (businesses) specifically provide good jobs," Doherty said. "From very skilled all the way down to service jobs, it's a good range of jobs for people in the community."

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Health care providers set to move into FW