City Manager Mitchell discusses state hospital property with city council

The possibility of the City of Nevada assuming ownership of a privately owned property was discussed during the most recent city council meeting. One potential possibility discussed for the building, should the City assume ownership, would be for the expansion of Barone Alzheimers Care Center.

"This property is the building next to Barone Center out at the State Hospital," noted City Manager Mark Mitchell last week in his report, as he showed a picture of said property to the city council. "This is a warehouse, about 16,000 square feet."

Mitchell noted that the building being discussed is the only privately owned building in its vicinity. "Every thing else is owned by a corporation — Nevada R-5, NRMC, and City of Nevada. It's a big open building — the roof is falling in."

Mitchell went on to state that the owner does not want the building any longer. "It's been on dangerous buildings for two or three years," he explained. "We've gone after them — we've taken them to court multiple times... they don't have money to do anything with it. He asked if the City wants it. I said that I'd ask... so, I'm asking." Mitchell stated that the property could be deeded to the City of Nevada.

"I don't know what we would do with it," continued Mitchell. "It could be an expansion for Barone because the only place they've got to go is north and this building is in the way. We can utilize it somehow, but I'm not going to make that call because I don't know, financially, what this will do to us."

Council member Lyndon Eberhard echoed that same concern. "That's kinda what I'm thinking," he stated, "Is it going to turn into another First Baptist Church? Unless you're proposing we go in and fix the roof and make the building usable, I don't see taking on another burden."

Mitchell noted that fixing it up could be a possibility, if the City has the money to do it. He further stated that the current owner plans on letting it go at tax sale. "Then somebody is going to own it and we are going to go after them again, as soon as it gets bought, that they've got to bring it up to code," stated Mitchell. "You know how that goes — it's going to be a 10 year fight."

Council member Kendall Vickers noted that the property is currently owned by an LLC (Limited Liability Company). "So, you really don't have anybody, individually, to go after," Kendall explained. He also noted the construction of the building. "It's really poured concrete," he continued. "If you strip the roof off, it would still be there a long time because it's all masonry. I think it has potential for a small warehouse or it might fit into the longterm development, but we need to control that little piece of land."

Also on hand to discuss was Economic Developer Ben Vickers. "Based off the pictures and the age of the building, which it used to be a part of the state hospital (the laundry), what I could help do and what Kaysinger could help do is go through the same process that I’m going through with the rest of the state hospital property, including the city owned portion of land where we can get it assessed by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). They could tell us if there are any environmental hazards.” Ben Vickers also noted the upcoming grant cycle for Brownsfields grants. “There will be no match required for multi-million dollar grants that would help clean up that,” he stated. “So, if the roof has any asbestos in it, then those grant funds could be used to mitigate that issue. We might be able to address it and clean up the roof and any other environmental aspects that might be found. But, you’re sort of betting it has environmental issues and that it would qualify for some type of clean-up.”

After the council discussion on the subject ended, Mayor George Knox told Mitchell that they would leave it in his hands.