Alexander gives away old hospital; Temporarily

The Alexander City Council decided to temporarily give up ownership of the hospital building, located on the former Alexander Human Development Center (HDC) property, in order to conduct the required environmental assessment to apply for EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) hazardous cleanup grants. At a special meeting held Thursday, August 22, council members approved an ordinance and a resolution to correct an error made when the State deeded the HDC property to Alexander.

An environmental assessment should have been done by the State of Arkansas, Development Disabilities Services Board prior to deeding the 65.69-acre property to the city. Council members were told a municipality can't qualify for grants to conduct an environmental assessment. But, a state agency can.

As laid out in the ordinance and resolution, Alexander will deed four-acres of the property containing the hospital to Central Arkansas Planning and Development District (CAPDD). Once the environmental impact studies, that weren't done originally, are completed CAPDD will return ownership of the four-acres to Alexander. The city will then qualify for Brownfield grants.

Mayor Crystal Herrmann has been attempting to acquire a Brownfield grant in order to make the HDC property safe for development. The grant program is funded by the EPA. According to the EPA website, "A brownfield is a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant." The expectation is the hospital building contains asbestos, lead paint and potentially other unknown hazards.

The HDC property, along Highway 111, was originally built as a tuberculosis sanitarium for African-Americans. Eventually it was converted into a home for adults with special needs that required care and training from professionals.

After losing a lawsuit the state turned over care of the patients to Pathfinders, Inc.. The organization operated homes for adults, with physical and mental health issues, in the southeast corner of the HDC. They moved out when their lease expired in August, 2022.

When the Arkansas Department of Human Services no longer had a use for the property it was deeded to Alexander in 2018. Under state law the property could not be sold to an individual. It could only be taken over by another government entity such as a municipality or county.

Hospital days after fire.

The hospital caught fire Wednesday night, March 18, 2020. The fourth floor and roof sustained most of the damage. Prior to the fire there was always a discussion of whether the hospital should be renovated or removed. The fire has ended those discussions. Now the question is what will the process be to raze the structure and dispose of the hazardous materials.