WHEELING, W.Va. — The Wheeling City Council agreed Tuesday to purchase the former Ohio Valley Medical Center property, which will mean acquiring most of the facility’s buildings.
The council voted to acquire the campus from Medical Properties Trust for the currently owed taxes for this year and transaction fees related to the transfer. Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott said there is a challenge from the current property owner about the taxes owed, but noted the campus is in a tax increment financing district, which is a designated area used to divert tax payments for funding improvement projects.
“If the city pays $1 in taxes for the OVMC campus, the city will get 58 cents of that dollar back,” Elliott said.
The deal will include all but one of the buildings on campus.
Elliott said acquiring the building is important for the city; officials have been discussing the need for a new public safety building within city limits and the importance of preventing the building from becoming dilapidated.
“We have to weigh the fact that if the city does nothing right now, these buildings could sit empty for a long, long time,” he said. “That’s not a good thing for that much real estate right in the middle of your center city area.”
The transaction is expected to be complete before July 1. Elliott noted the next city council, which will take office next month, will be responsible for determining the best way to utilize the campus.