Work is continuing on a medical marijuana dispensary in downtown Bradford, to be located in the former Mexican restaurant.

“We will be gutting the property so we (can) create a welcoming, state-of-the-art medical facility that meets the requirements of the state and will exceed the expectations of our patients,” said Dr. Glen J. Mesaros, chief medical officer of DuBois Wellness Center LLC. He is with Melnick, Moffitt & Mesaros ENT Associates of Lebanon.

After renovations to the building at 109 Main St., the pharmacy will open as soon as the state Department of Health conducts an inspection, Mesaros said.

The local facility’s timeline includes receiving a certificate of occupancy on Jan. 18; passing inspections required to begin operations, Jan. 20; and starting operations, Jan. 25, according to the center’s state-approved application.

The floor space for the facility will just be under 2,000 square feet, he said, initially, there will be seven to 10 employees.

“Hopefully more qualified patients and physicians will register with the (medical marijuana) program,” Mesaros said. “So far we’ve seen healthy numbers sign up but it’s a brand new program and we’re realistic with our expectations. We’re prepared for anything as we’ve been studying the roll-outs of other programs across the country with similar rules as Pennsylvania.”

Thus far, more than 9,000 people have registered to be part of the medical marijuana program in the last month and a half.

Several conditions would be allowed to be treated with medical marijuana in Pennsylvania, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism, cancer, Crohn’s disease, damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, Huntington’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, intractable seizures, multiple sclerosis, neuropathies, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, sickle cell anemia or severe chronic or intractable pain of neuropathic origin or severe chronic or intractable pain in which conventional therapeutic intervention and opiate therapy is contraindicated or ineffective.

Bradford Main Street Manager Chelsea Schwab previously said she believes the dispensary will have no negative impact on the business district. In fact, she said the pharmacy “may even bring more positive effects into play in future years.”

Mesaros shared similar insight.

“We believe this is the best location to serve the (North West) patient population and our location would be easily accessible to the surrounding patients,” he said. “Bradford has been extremely helpful in the process and we look forward to working with them and the state as we approach our grand opening.”

The Medical Marijuana Program became effective on May 17, 2016, and is expected to be fully implemented by 2018.