The Batesville City Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to consider a resolution adopting a redevelopment plan for the long-vacant Gray’s Hospital property.
The discussion follows renewed interest in demolishing the historic four-story building, which has stood empty for decades, and redeveloping the lot.
At a council meeting in August, Mayor Rick Elumbaugh said city officials hope to secure a Brownfield Grant to assess, clean up, and eventually repurpose the site, which may contain asbestos and other hazardous materials.
Gray’s Hospital, opened in 1939 as Batesville’s first building constructed specifically for hospital use, closed in the 1980s. The property’s owner, Joey Markowski of Markowski Investment Holdings, LLC, has offered to donate it to the city.
Elumbaugh said the White River Planning and Development District recently met with the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission to explore grant opportunities.
If approved, the city’s plan would begin with asbestos abatement, estimated at approximately $150,000, followed by a second phase to seek funding for the demolition of the building and redevloping the site.
City officials describe the former hospital, located near a main entryway into Batesville, as an eyesore attracting graffiti and vandalism.
Images: White River Now
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