As part of its pursuit of a renovation for Eureka Springs Hospital, commissioners at the Dec. 18 meeting heard from Realtor Ken Riley about four lots adjacent to the hospital property and decided to explore buying them.
Riley said the asking price was $180,000. Commissioner John House commented that purchasing the land made sense because it would give provide opportunities for expanding the hospital and maybe open up a second access to the emergency room. “It behooves us to have property around us even if we sit on it a few years,” House said.
Riley said two of the lots were residential, so the commission would have to handle rezoning issues. He also said he has only written surveys, not drawn surveys, so getting a survey would be another task for the commission.
Mayor Butch Berry pointed out that although the commission would purchase the property, the city would own it, yet unless it were resold, it could be used only for hospital purposes.
House observed the property was not level or perfect, but the commission should not pass up the opportunity. He moved to place an offer. His motion was amended more than once, but commissioners ultimately approved getting an appraisal and drawn survey first and then making an offer to purchase the property.
Also present at the meeting were architects Tom Johnson and Dennis Markey, senior architect and project manager for Bates Architects, the team chosen by the commission to provide preliminary drawings to determine the scope of the renovation of the hospital.
Their proposal included a description as they understood it, and a breakdown of what Markey called the first three work efforts. First, architects, commissioners and all the main players would gather to set goals and create the team, but most important, identify who the primary contacts would be to make communication efficient.
Next, they would focus on particulars by talking with hospital staff and administration to identify needs with the goal of analyzing what space, equipment, and services would be incorporated into the end result. The third work effort would be for the architects to create three different concepts for what the end result could be. This would include choices for scope of the project, how much is remodeling and how much is new construction.
Markey expected three months would be the minimum required to gather the information they need to begin creating designs, and at least nine months before construction if there were no complications. As the process begins to unfold, Markey said his team could provide a targeted timeline.
Cost for this part of the project was listed on the proposal as $50,000. Markey suggested commissioners look over the proposal and see if it was want the commission wanted.
Chair Michael Merry said he would speak with their attorney about the project and proposal, and if the attorney approves, Merry would proceed with contacting a survey team and asbestos survey company.
Commissioners also decided to continue monthly meetings for at least the first four months of 2018 and to begin meetings at 12:30 p.m.
Next meeting will be Monday, Jan. 15, at 12:30 p.m.