Everyone, including city officials, agrees the old Hayswood Hospital is an eyesore in downtown Maysville and needs to be torn down.
The building has stood vacant since 1983 when Meadowview Regional Medical Center opened.
Plans for the rehabilitation of the building by owner Esther Johnson fell by the wayside as the years passed.
There has been much discussion about what to do with the building, whether that discussion is at a city commission meeting or via social media. The problem is: there is no money to do what needs to be done, which is to tear it down.Â
The building is beyond saving.
Water has seeped in and vines and plants are taking over the facade.
Vandals have stripped metal and copper wiring from the building over the years.
The building is known to have asbestos, lead paint and other hazardous materials.Â
So what exactly has been done to save the building or to tear it down?
In 2002, the city enlisted the services of the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Corp of Engineers to conduct an assessment of the property.
According to City Manager Ray Young, that assessment resulted in the following cost estimates:
$5.5 million to rehab the building or $4.5 million to tear it down.Â
“That’s 13 years ago, and we haven’t done an assessment since then,” Young said Wednesday during an interview with The Ledger Independent.
At the same time, Young said the city investigated the possibility of securing $250,000 in federal Brownfield funds, that could be used to clean up only a small portion of the property. That option, however, could only be exercised if the city had ownership of the building or the building was abandoned, he said.
In 2002, former City Manager Dennis Redmond offered his opinion that Hayswood Hospital is abandoned. However, Esther Johnson, the owner, strongly disagreed with Redmond’s opinion. Johnson purchased the property for $42,000 in 1994, according to records at the Mason County Property Valuation Administrator office.
Young said Johnson continues to be open with working with the city on a resolution.
Over the years, city officials have talked to and worked with state and federal politicians to find a source of funding to address the problem.Â
“We have talked to Mitch McConnell and (former U.S. Representative) Geoff Davis toured the building,” Young said. “We are looking for a resolution, too. We will continue to work for that money.”
Young said as part of the 2002 assessment, it was determined if the building came down, the hillside would not be affected. The study’s one requirement was to leave the back retaining wall of the building in place.
“Nobody understands it’s (at least) $5 million….if the city were to put up $5 million out of the city treasury, you could be looking at a situation of public safety (if a major event happened) or losing an industrial development prospect,” he said.
In 2013, the situation took an interesting twist when a tax lien servicing company out of Texas was granted an order through the Mason County Circuit Court to sell the property through a Master Commissioner sale.
Tax Ease Lien Servicing held the lien on the property because of delinquent property tax payments for 2008 and 2009, totaling $5,984. The company filed a motion for default and summary judgement and set a sale date of April 26.
On the day of the sale, Tax Ease Lien Servicing notified Jeff Schumacher, Mason County master commission, the property had been removed from the list of properties to be sold that day.
At the time, Trey Gulledge with Tax Ease said the company was evaluating its options related to the property. Gulledge said company officials were familiar with the deteriorated condition of the building, as well as potential environmental issues that could impact the cost of remediation.
Gulledge said it is never the intention of Tax Ease to own the real estate it holds liens on, and the company is open to suggestions on what to do next.
“We’re open to suggestions … we have the right to foreclose on the property and bring it to sale,” he said. He also said if the city or county had an interest in taking control of the property, Tax Ease would work with officials to sign over the lien.
As of Friday, Aug. 28, attempts to speak with Gulledge and Johnson were unsuccessful. Tax Ease Lien was contacted in an attempt to determine the status of its involvement. Johnson was contacted in an attempt to develop her side of the story.Â
