Developers look at former hospital sites in Jeannette

Two developers have expressed interest in the former Jeannette District Memorial Hospital and Monsour Medical Center properties, according to county and city officials.

Westmoreland County Commissioner Tyler Courtney said one party is interested in opening a badly needed inpatient drug detoxification center at the former Jeannette District Memorial Hospital, now owned by Excela Health.

City attorney Scott Avolio said a California developer last week toured both former hospitals, accompanied by an architect and property manager. He declined to identify the company or its possible interest in developing either location.

After years of repeated bankruptcies and financial struggles, Monsour closed in 2006. Excela Health acquired Jeannette District Memorial Hospital in 2007 and closed the facility in 2011.

No detoxification center exists in the county now, and Courtney said opening one is “a necessity ... definitely a necessity” because of rising heroin and opiate addiction and a record number of overdose deaths.

Tim Phillips, director of community prevention at Westmoreland Community Action in Greensburg, said the county once had two detox centers, one at the former Westmoreland Hospital, now Excela Health, and a second at Monsour.

“There's been nothing to replace either (detox center),” Phillips said. “With the current epidemic, you'd think they'd be kind of busy trying to open one.”

Westmoreland County set a record in 2012 with 71 drug overdose deaths, according to the coroner's office. So far this year, the office has investigated 19 overdoses, nine of them heroin-related. Another eight cases are being investigated as possible drug overdoses, the coroner reported.

“We really want to get these people healed,” Courtney said. “It's really become a problem. It's necessary to address these things now to curb the current trend we're seeing in Westmoreland County. I'm definitely going to support it.”

Courtney said developing the Jeannette hospital poses some problems for potential developers because the 80,000-square-foot building is not fully equipped with a fire sprinkler system and does not comply with provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Excela officials, who have said they will demolish the former hospital if it cannot be sold, were aware of the recent tour by potential developers, said Jen Miele, vice president of marketing and public relations. She said no one has contacted Excela or requested a meeting to discuss the property.

Mayor Robert Carter questions whether a drug detox center would meet zoning requirements and would be acceptable to residents in the neighborhood.

“I'd like to find out what their plan would be before they come to the city,” he said. “I'd like to know what type of controls would be in place, how many potential clients they would serve and what type of security.”

The development of either site would be a boon for the financially struggling city.

When the hospitals closed, the city lost tax revenue paid by employees. If the sites can be developed and placed on the tax rolls, the property taxes could generate even more revenue.

Courtney said county planners want to demolish the condemned Monsour site, which poses safety concerns because it is located along heavily traveled Route 30.

“Monsour needs to be torn down,” he said. “Our goal is to get the money to tear it down.”

Richard Gazarik is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-830-6292 or at rgazarik@tribweb.com.