By Matt Tomsic
mtomsic@scbiznews.com
Published Oct. 17, 2012
The U.S. General Services Administration accepted Friday the city of North Charleston’s $2 million bid for the former Charleston naval hospital on Rivers Avenue.
The city has seven business days to pay $350,000 then has 30 days to pay the remainder of the balance, $1.6 million.
“We’re just going through the process of it right now,” said city spokesman Ryan Johnson. “The mayor thought the city should have some control over what goes there since it is a key part of the revitalization of the southern end of the city.”
Bidding for the hospital began Sept. 13 after the General Services Administration announced it would sell the property, which consists of a 10-story, 360,000-square-foot building and a smaller three-story building, plus parking, tennis courts and a basketball court. The hospital is across the street from Shipwatch Square, which the city has purchased.
Johnson said the city has received interest in the former naval hospital and is open to all options. Once the sale closes, he said, North Charleston should have a better idea for the building’s use or potential buyers.
The city will also take over the building’s current costs once the sale closes, and those costs now include security, utilities and other expenses that total about $1.2 million, the amount the General Services Administration has been paying to maintain the building.
“There will be recurring costs depending on what happens with the property,” Johnson said. “A lot of that cost we might not have to incur, or we could find ways to offset.”
For example, Johnson said, the city could use its own security staff at the hospital or use city police officers.
Previous coverage
Yes