PROSPECTS BRIGHTEN FOR PLAN AT OLD HOSPITAL SITE

A proposed development on the former site of St. Francis Hospital may finally be moving forward.

The project received a financial boost from the Missouri Housing Development Commission in the form of about $600,000 in tax credits. Philips Development Corp. of Little Rock plans to replace the old building with a 48-unit apartment complex called Fort Hope.

It's good to see something may be done with this eyesore, which has been condemned since 1998. Constructed in 1914, the building has been vacant for 15 years.

It's not the first time the city's hopes have been raised for development at the site. But this time the company has a solid track record for development in other locations, and it has secured enough assistance to begin work. Philips' experience includes the construction of about 1,500 apartment units in Arkansas, Kentucky and Missouri.

The project doesn't come without a cost to the city, which has committed $500,000 to tear down the old hospital. It's a considerable sum, inflated by required environmental studies and asbestos removal. But it could be well worth the cost if the project is completed.

This project can provide a real economic boost for the neighborhood. City officials are hoping it will spur other development and stabilize the neighborhood.

It also provides affordable housing, which is in demand in the city. It is aimed at people who can't buy a home because they lack a down payment.

The project will include a number of two-story vinyl and brick buildings, including a community room and laundry. Construction could begin by late summer after the city demolishes the building at 801 Good Hope. The property is already zoned multi-family.

If this property can finally be revitalized, the city can turn its attentions to the former Marquette Hotel. A Texas man has held an option on the Marquette since December 1998. He has only a month or so left on that option. It's still questionable whether this most recent plan to renovate the hotel will materialize.

If not, the city should get serious about cleaning up the Marquette, which was built in 1928 and shut down in 1971. The city's stake is not simply an eyesore, but the potential health dangers these vacant buildings pose.