OWENSBORO, KY (WFIE) -
Some big news out of Owensboro today, OMHS has made what it calls a "two fold" decision concerning the fate of the Parrish Campus, the site of the current hospital.
Today's announcement which was made at the Health Park will not only benefit the community but also the hospital in the future.
Hospital officials say they'll keep the buildings on the east side of the Parrish Campus, but the west side buildings will be demolished.
"We would have had a bunch of vacant buildings there and it costs money just to keep it vacant," said Alan Braden, chair of OMHS board of directors. "We looked at lots of different options and possible uses and they just didn't work out."
Hospital officials say there's no immediate use for vacant buildings.
Dr. Jeff Barber, president and CEO of OMHS said "It will also prevent us from having old buildings standing that are unused and deteriorating and that's always an unpleasant sight and not a good use of land or buildings."
Two weeks after the move to the new hospital in June demolition will begin. Renovation of the Parrish Campus should be complete by July 2014.
"I think this is exciting for the community," said Dr. Barber. "I think to see a new hospital open, which is by far the best hospital in the United States, I might add, when it opens...maybe in two years somebody builds something better, nothing will be better when this one opens."
There's also some good economic news as a result of today's announcement, no jobs will be lost as a result of the demolition of the west side of the Parrish Campus.
Copyright 2012 WFIE. All rights reserved.
