PEORIA

Skeletal framework of partially built Peoria hospital to be demolished after nearly a decade

Joshua Bowling
Arizona Republic
Work underway on Peoria’s first hospital, Peoria Regional Medical Center in April 2012. Work stopped later that year and has not resumed.

Peoria Regional Medical Center was meant to be Peoria's first hospital, but its unfinished skeletal framework has stood empty for nearly a decade. A new owner will demolish the eyesore in affluent north Peoria in October — building a medical campus in its place, according to the city.

Work on the hospital building, which is on seven acres near Lake Pleasant Parkway and Jomax Road, stopped less than a year after it broke ground.

City officials pushed to demolish the structure, but the owner filed bankruptcy and stalled those plans. The property first found a buyer in bankruptcy court in late 2018, but the sale dragged on.

Now, First Service Medical, LLC has purchased the land and plans to develop a "state-of-the-art medical campus," according to a city announcement.

"I am beyond excited that not just an eyesore, but a scar that has impacted this community for far too long, will finally come to an end," said City Council member Bridget Binsbacher, whose district includes the partially built hospital. “My deepest appreciation to our residents who have demonstrated a great amount of patience throughout the process.”

Ground was broken on Peoria Regional Medical Center in 2011, but halted a year later.

The 9-year battle

The $30 million hospital broke ground in 2011 with plans to serve Peoria's rapidly expanding northern fringe. Work stopped within the next year because the owner didn't have enough financial backing.

The skeletal framework stood for years before the city stepped in. Peoria was weeks away from demolishing the structure in 2017 when its then-owner, Peoria Regional Medical Center LLC, filed for bankruptcy and stalled the demolition.

"Peoria has spent many years working to remove the skeletal remains of PRMC, and although many roadblocks have stalled our efforts, Peoria persevered in securing a demolition order while working to find the right owner for this site," Mayor Cathy Carlat said in a statement. "We look forward to the development of a superior medical campus to serve our growing community."

Another Peoria eyesore recently razed 

Crews on Monday morning started demolishing the former Smitty's grocery store near Old Town Peoria that has sat vacant for more than 20 years.

Another long-standing Peoria eyesore, further south near Old Town, was demolished in August.

The former Smitty's grocery store at 85th and Grand avenues had stood vacant since 1997. Owner Ron Hassid bought the building in 2006 for $3.5 million and wanted to sell it for a profit.

Hassid battled the city's demolition orders in court for nearly two years. Judges in the Maricopa County Superior Court and the Arizona Court of Appeals both sided with the city. Hassid appealed the decisions to the Arizona Supreme Court, which opted not to hear the case, allowing the city to move forward on razing the former grocery store. 

Reach reporter Joshua Bowling at jbowling@azcentral.com or 602-444-8138. Follow him on Twitter @MrJoshuaBowling.

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