OLD FRANKLIN HOSPITAL SOLD

FRANKLIN – The St. Mary Parish Council stamped the final approval needed Wednesday to sell the former Franklin Foundation Hospital for $226,000.

Rukkus Properties, LLC will buy the property, which is situated northwest of Cynthia Street, northeast of Haifleigh Street, southeast of Hospital Avenue and southwest of King Street.

Hospital Board Chairman Marshall Guidry told the Parish Council that the board agreed to a 120 day “due diligence’ clause with the company, before the sale is finalized.

“Already, they are planning to lease areas of the building to addictive medicine and substance abuse treatment centers, I would imagine anything health related that they could make money with,” Guidry said. “They’re really playing their cards close to their vest, because they don’t want competition coming in to the area.”

No one from Rukkus Properties LLC was present during the parish council meeting.

However, Guidry’s comments sparked questions from Parish Councilmen Rev. Craig Matthews, and Charles “Butch” Middleton, who were concerned that the group could lease out parts of the former care center to labor crews.

But Hospital Attorney Russel Cremaldi said, “We have done the most we could in the sale to make this property restrictive, there will be no labor crews housed there.”

“However, I cannot assure that provision should Rukkus sell. Perhaps you need to begin working on zoning for that area, which would be in place to prevent labor crews or other similar businesses from locating there,” Cremaldi said.

Councilman David Hanagriff, whose district includes the former hospital site, said “We did all we could to protect the residents around the facility.

Guidry said that between utilities, maintenance and insurance, the old hospital cost the board $50,000 last year.

A new Franklin Foundation Hospital opened last year on Northwest Blvd in Franklin, at a cost of roughly $12 million, Parish President Paul Naquin said.

Already, Guidry said business is up 26 percent, admits are up nine percent, and patient days are at 23 percent, and growing.

“We had record revenues this summer, the best is yet to come for us,” he said.