The MTMC Advisory Council announced today that it is hosting a public meeting during which citizens will be invited to express their ideas for re-use of Middle Tennessee Medical Center’s campus on North Highland Avenue.
The public meeting is scheduled for:
Tuesday, August 11
4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
503 East Bell Street Building on the MTMC campus in Murfreesboro.
Attendees may participate anytime between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.
“MTMC has been the healthcare provider for Rutherford County for 82 years,” said Gordon Ferguson, MTMC president and CEO. “Our current facility holds many memories for thousands of families, associates and physicians. We realize the sensitivity around this topic, and that is why it is extremely important we make the right decision for our community and Rutherford County as a whole. I encourage community members to attend the public meeting in order for us to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Please know that your input is valuable to everyone involved in making the final decision on what will happen with the current MTMC facility.”
Composed of community and business leaders, the MTMC Advisory Council was recently established by MTMC. Its purpose is to help ensure that the community’s best interests are served after the medical center moves it operations to a new campus in Fall 2010.
“This public meeting is the first step the advisory council is taking to assure that the Murfreesboro community is well-served during and after the move of our outstanding medical center to new, modern facilities,” said Bill Huddleston, advisory council chairman. “We hope that many people will take advantage of this opportunity to be part of an important chapter in our city’s history.”
The meeting will have an open format, Huddleston said, to allow for as much input possible.
“This meeting is all about listening. There won’t be any speeches,” Huddleston added. “There will be several stations set up in the lobby of the Bell Street Building where a member of the advisory committee or a staff member will be ready to record everyone’s ideas for re-use of the hospital campus. We’ve timed the meeting for just after work hours so it will hopefully be convenient for people to stop by on their way home. We’re looking forward to a big turn-out.”
Members of the MTMC Advisory Council are:
Bill Huddleston, president, Huddleston Steele Engineering (MTMC Advisory Council Chairman)
Gordon Ferguson, president and CEO, MTMC
Ted LaRoche, attorney, retired General Counsel/SVP, National HealthCare Corporation
Rob Lyons, deputy city manager, City of Murfreesboro
Rev. James McCarroll, pastor, First Baptist Church
Matt Murfree, attorney, Murfree & Murfree, PLLC
Bob Parks, principal broker/owner, Bob Parks Realty
Holly Weber, vice president of economic development, Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce
Southeast Venture, a Middle Tennessee commercial real estate and architectural services firm, has been hired by MTMC to work with the MTMC Advisory Council in repurposing and marketing the campus in a way that contributes to the city’s progress and is responsive to its citizens’ needs.
“This is a prime location in Murfreesboro, and we look forward to working with the hospital, the advisory council and the community to realize its full potential,” said Axson West of Southeast Venture. “Of course, this is a big job that will not happen overnight. We anticipate that MTMC and the Advisory Council will be evaluating many options over the coming months. Our job is to seek out as many potential buyers as possible for evaluation, and this process is underway.”
Covering 18.73 acres, the existing MTMC campus includes five buildings; a parking garage and six surface parking lots. The main building, located at 400 North Highland Ave., was established as Rutherford Hospital in 1927 and contained 37 beds. Currently, the hospital operates 216 beds and sees nearly 90,000 patients a year.
|
Email
Print
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Google
Yahoo!