Old Independence hospital reborn as Ennovation Center and school district offices, wellness site

The former Medical Center of Independence, considered an eyesore for years, should be coming down soon.

Like Independence Regional Health Center, it was closed in 2007 when HCA Midwest opened Centerpoint Medical Center in southeastern Independence. The MCI property is at 17203 E. 23rd St., just east of Missouri 291.

Permits have been pulled for the building’s demolition, said John Carnes, an Independence lawyer who represents the property’s current mortgage-holder as well as Truman Manor LLC, an entity that years ago had wanted to develop a senior citizen residential center on the site.

The property has been fenced.

“Environmental abatement is going on as we speak,” Carnes said recently. Once asbestos removal is complete, demolition should follow, he said.

Truman Manor LLC had submitted plans to convert the almost 14 acres into a condominium project containing nearly 400 units. Residency was to have been restricted to those 55 and older, with amenities such as restaurants and shops.

The plan never went forward, however. Truman Manor, said Carnes, had hoped to see $6 million of tax-increment financing funds set aside for the condominium project, not the $2 million endorsed by an Independence advisory committee.

Last year the city received occasional complaints about weeds around the former hospital. The City Council, also last year, approved an ordinance setting aside about $1.5 million from Independence Power & Light’s capital budget to acquire the property.

While the transaction closing date had been scheduled for Dec. 1, that now has been extended to March 15, said City Manager Robert Heacock. One condition, Heacock said, is the demolition of the main hospital building.

That is pending because of environmental issues, he said.

Upon taking the property, the city will renovate a former medical office building east of the old hospital. That will be used by Power & Light employees.

This story was originally published February 24, 2014 at 10:19 PM with the headline "Old Independence hospital reborn as Ennovation Center and school district offices, wellness site."