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Old Brooksville hospital gives birth to a new vision

By Michael Sanserino, Times Staff Writer
In print: Thursday, May 29, 2008

Guests and local leaders take a tour through the Oaks Towne Centre after a ribbon cutting at the former Brooksville Regional Hospital site that is being transformed into a mixed-use office, retail and independent living facility for retirees. The facility will be open by October, the developer said.
	[MIKE PEASE | Times]

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ADVERTISEMENT [MIKE PEASE | Times] Officials for Metro Bay Development show county leaders some of the progress with construction since the company bought the 118,000-square-foot complex at 55 Ponce de Leon Blvd. more than a year ago for $1.1-million. Loading Video...

BROOKSVILLE — Dust covered the ground floor at the former home of the Brooksville Regional Hospital on Wednesday morning. The south end of the building looked like it was trapped in a cage from the scaffolding still standing. Construction workers diligently prepared for the building's reopening, which won't come for another four months.

That didn't deter various city and county officials, who held a celebration of sorts at the former hospital. "This is not really a ribbon cutting; this is more of a progress report," said Bill Rain, president of the building's developer, Metro Bay Development.

It's been more than a year since the county sold the 118,000-square-foot complex at 55 Ponce de Leon Blvd. for $1.1-million. Developers hope some parts of the mixed-use building, called the Oaks Towne Centre, will be open by October.

Mike McHugh, director of the Hernando County Office of Business Development, called the project a rebirth. In marketing the building, McHugh said he wanted to take the old hospital and make it an economic center.

"What we have here," said County Commissioner Chris Kingsley, "is an imaginative project that provides vision and provides jobs, not only for Hernando County but also for the city of Brooksville."

The building will be divided in two parts — 60,000 square feet at the south side of the building will be used for office and retail space and 49,000 square feet on the north side will become an independent and assisted living retirement community. Parts of the hospital have been demolished during the renovation process.

The county still owns 11,000 square feet of the building, which is used by Hernando County Fire Rescue.

Inside Wednesday, the Oaks Towne Center was a skeleton. In the retail area, the ground floor is little more than a concrete floor and dozens of support beams. Walls will come, Rain said, once tenants sign leases.

The retail space can be divided into large and small units, depending on the business that occupies it. Rain said he anticipates leasing the space annually at about $14 per square foot. He hopes retailers can move in by December.

The north end of the building already had walls but little else. This side of the building can house more than 300 senior citizens in a retirement community — most in independent-living units, though some rooms will be used for assisted living. The community, scheduled to open Oct. 1, is called "The Grande."

About 50 people showed up for the ribbon cutting and building tour, though most were either attached to the project or were members of the media.

Barmell Dixon, education director of the Brooksville Women's Club, said she showed up to see what was going on. "I think it's going to be great," she said of the Oaks Towne Centre.

Michael Sanserino can be reached at msanserino@sptimes.com or (352) 848-1430.