by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
A City Council committee reversed course Tuesday on the City’s plans for a historic black hospital in LaVilla.
The Council’s Recreation, Community Development and Education unanimously agreed that Brewster Hospital, Florida’s first hospital for blacks, should be renovated in its current location on Monroe Street. It’s a few blocks north of the Osborn Center and almost across the street from the Salvation Army shelter.
The decision came despite warnings from Downtown Development Authority Al Battle that it would likely result in a lawsuit from a local developer with an agreement to build on the land. The legislation still requires approval from the full Council.
The City has an agreement with architect Ted Pappas that calls for the hospital to be moved to allow Pappas to build a medical complex. Battle helped negotiate that deal with Pappas and said the developer would likely sue if the City follows the committee’s lead.
Pappas was surprised by the committee’s decision but wouldn’t comment on what his reaction might be.
“I have no reaction to anything right now,” he said. “I need to find out what’s going on over there first.”
Pappas has been negotiating with the City over the land since 1999. He said the City is contractually obligated to move the hospital and that he’s given the City six extensions on the agreement to decide what to do with Brewster.
“This thing has been in the making for so long. It’s crazy how many turns this thing has taken,” he said.
Pappas has already built one building close to Brewster. Once the hospital is moved, he plans to build two more. He said he’s had interest from doctors wanting to bring their practices downtown, but said all the delays were interfering with those talks.
The Council considered the possibility of a lawsuit. Members decided, essentially, that it made more sense economically to fight the lawsuit than to move the hospital. It would cost about $800,000 to secure the crumbling building enough to move. Moving Brewster would also cost the hospital its place on a federal register of historic buildings. That would make Brewster ineligible for federal and State redevelopment funds.
Council member Glorious Johnson welcomed a lawsuit and said she’d been advised that the City’s contract with Pappas wouldn’t withstand the court’s scrutiny.
“That contract is no good. If he sues, the building standing there now would probably end up coming down,” she said.
The committee also committed $800,000 to renovate the building at its current location. Several historic development experts told the committee that the City needed to act quickly to secure the building before it deteriorates completely.