PITTSFIELD – The Birch Grove Nursing Home on Leighton Street, a fixture in Pittsfield for more than two decades, is closing, affecting 17 residents and 39 employees.

Birch Grove is owned by Sandy River Health Systems of Portland, and their spokesperson, Cynthia Cave, said the 30-bed facility has operated with an average of 10 empty beds for the past year.

Although Skowhegan and Waterville nursing homes owned by Sandy River are full, the Pittsfield market is “overbedded,” said Cave.

Birch Grove is one of three area facilities: Sebasticook Valley Health Care Facility, a rehabilitation center and nursing home; and Sebasticook Community Residential Home, a boarding home. All three facilities surround Sebasticook Valley Hospital on the northeast corner of Pittsfield.

“This is such a localized business,” said Cave, “and people just want to stay close to home.” She said the facility just could no longer stay in business with only 60 percent occupancy.

“We will close only when all the residents have been safely placed in other facilities,” said Cave.

Mark Plourde, the facility’s administrator, said Thursday that a series of meetings has been taking place to formulate a plan that would allow SVHCF to absorb some of the residents currently at Birch Grove. He said that not all of the residents will be able to come to SVHCF.

Cave said that Sandy River has called every nursing home within 10 miles of Pittsfield, not only seeking beds for residents but also positions for employees. “We have some of the most wonderful people working in Pittsfield,” she said. “We really regret having to close.”

She said that once the issue of placement for residents and workers has been completed Sandy River will make a decision about whether to sell or lease the building and equipment.