A new Allen County Hospital would be built east of town between The Family Physicians and Citizens Bank, Allen County Commissioners said Tuesday morning.
“That’s the preferred spot if we can make it work,” said Commissioner Dick Works.
Between the doctors’ clinic at 1408 East St. and the bank, two blocks to the west, lies a large piece of land that over the years has become an eyesore due to derelict buildings and parking lots overgrown with weeds.
A hundred years ago it was the site of smelters.
Evaluation of the soil’s content for carcinogens will take up to 90 days, said County Counselor Alan Weber. Some of the land has already been cleared of smelter tailings, Weber said. Another portion supposedly had been checked and found to contain little of the problem material. If further work needs to be done, it can likely be done by the county’s Public Works Department, commissioners said, ensuring it can be done in a timely and cost-effective manner.
The East Street site contains about 7.5 acres, with more than 20 acres to the north which could be available if needed.
The current hospital sits on 4 acres.
A new hospital would have a smaller, but more efficient, footprint. The current 58-year-old hospital is 85,000 square feet and two floors. The new plan would be single-level and 60,000 square feet.
A vote to approve a 1⁄4 cent countywide sale tax would be a “yes” for a new hospital in the Nov. 2 election.
COMMISSIONERS also said they would begin identifying potential hospital board members, who would help design and guide construction of a new hospital and also have a lead role in arranging management.
All three commissioners, Works, Gary McIntosh and Rob Francis, have said they had candidates in mind. They will meet in executive session during early October to put together a short list. They will make certain of candidates’ interest and then be ready to name the governing body when the sales tax issue is decided.
Another component is securing the services of an attorney well-versed in legal issues that will surface with construction of a new hospital, including severing Hospital Corporation of America’s for-profit ties with the hospital. HCA will be considered as a potential manager, commissioners said.
Commissioners said Tuesday they wanted to be prepared to move ahead the day after the general election.
