Hospital expansion leaves seniors living in construction zone
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The remaining residents say heavy construction equipment is constantly coming through the neighborhood. Photo: Naomi Feinstein/Axios
Michele and Kevin Swan wake up to loud construction sounds and find cracks forming in their home. Nearby, Debbie Stanger says heavy equipment shakes her house and rattles her perfume bottles.
Why it matters: They're among a few longtime residents who say they're living in a construction zone next to Memorial Regional Hospital.
State of play: Memorial has slowly bought and demolished homes along Hayes, Grant and Garfield streets in Hollywood Hills over the years to make room for a new $670 million surgical and patient bed tower.
- The homes still standing are now surrounded by vacant gravel lots used for parking, equipment storage and contractor office space.
- In a letter to residents last November, Memorial offered to buy their homes and warned that construction staging could last five years.
Friction point: Residents say the hospital is avoiding a preferable option: eminent domain, a legal process for seizing private property.
- In that scenario, residents could be entitled to relocation assistance and additional compensation.
The big picture: The residents, who are in their 70s and living on fixed incomes, say the hospital isn't offering enough for them to afford to relocate.
The other side: Memorial didn't respond to Axios' questions prior to publication.
- The hospital previously told Local 10 that all sales are voluntary and the homeowners are being offered market-value prices.
- Memorial added that it is not pursuing eminent domain because voluntary negotiations give the residents more flexibility.
What they're saying: Kyle Teal, an attorney representing some of the residents, tells Axios that Memorial's gradual purchases and the constant construction have reduced their leverage and driven down property values.
- "There's nothing voluntary about what's happening out there right now," he told Axios.
Between the lines: Teal also questions why the city gave the hospital a permit for industrial staging and parking in a residential area.
- Hollywood communications director Joann Hussey tells Axios that the staging activity was permitted because Memorial owns the property next to the construction site.
- She adds that the city is working to make sure neighbors are safe and their concerns are addressed.
The bottom line: Residents say they're not trying to stop the expansion. But they want the hospital to begin the eminent domain process so they receive a fair deal.
- "We're not stupid and realize we will eventually be moving, but this plan to kill us slowly is just not humane, morally and ethically correct," Kevin Swan said. "Where is their integrity?"