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Commissioner Williams - To Approve Demolition of the Old Nurse’s Dormitory on South New Hope Road and Appropriate the Necessary Funding ($90,000)
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STAFF CONTACT
Ray Maxwell, PE, Public Works Department, (704) 862-7551
BUDGET IMPACT
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Appropriate County Funds with a portion to be reimbursed by Partners Behavioral Healthbody
BUDGET ORDINANCE IMPACT
N/A
BACKGROUND
The North Carolina Orthopedic Hospital was once located at 901 South New Hope Road in Gastonia, NC. The old Orthopedic Hospital campus is owned by the State of North Carolina with a long-term lease to Gaston County. Several County Departments and/or programs are located on the property along with a significant presence by Partners Behavioral Health Management. Situated on the northern portion of the site near the intersection of South New Hope and Dixon Roads is the Old Nurse’s Dormitory. The building was constructed in 1935 and was the Nurse’s home during operation of the North Carolina Orthopedic Hospital. Due to its original use, the building primarily consists of individual one-room living units with adjoining bath facilities and several offices.
The building is located adjacent to South New Hope Road and is very visible to passerby’s. The building has not been in use for decades and has continued to deteriorate over time. Several options have been discussed in the past to re-use the building, but due to its layout and the condition of the structure, renovation has been deemed cost-prohibitive. Many of the windows are boarded up due to vandalism and damage to the structure continues to be a burden to the County. Because the building is adjacent to the operations of Partners Behavioral Health Management, they too are concerned about the eyesore this building presents, ongoing vandalism, poor image this presents to their visiting clients, and overall liability concerns. Due to these concerns, Partners Behavioral Health Management has agreed to share in the costs of abatement and demolition. Gaston County has obtained approval for demolition from the State of North Carolina Property Division.
Approval of this Board Action authorizes County staff to obtain permits and proposals to abate the asbestos, demolish the structure, fill the partial basement and restore the site to a vegetative state. In addition, approval of this Board Action authorizes the County Manager to execute any necessary agreements to move forward with the work and appropriates General Fund revenue into a project account for expenditure purposes.
POLICY IMPACT
N/A