Demolition completed at former Howard Memorial Hospital

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    Demolition of the oldest parts of the former Howard Memorial Hospital building has been completed, according to Howard County Judge Kevin Smith. The most recent addition will be saved for some future county use, Smith said. Debris has been pushed to the side and will be covered with two feet of topsoil and eventually seeded for grass. Metal parts of the building will be saved and sold for recycling by the company which razed the building.

    By Louie Graves
    News-Leader staff

    The last standing remnants of the former Howard County Memorial Hospital are down.

    The original building stood on W. Leslie St., in Nashville since after WWII. After several additions and remodeling, a new campus for Howard Memorial Hospital was built west of town. And that left the vacant, declining tan brick building as the county’s worry.

    County Judge Kevin Smith said Monday that what to do with the old facility was already a problem when he took office nearly a decade ago.

    The final solution was to gather funds from different sources and knock down the oldest parts. The most recent addition will be saved for some future county use, the judge said Monday.

    But the old brick and concrete debris will be pushed to the side and covered with two feet of topsoil before being seeded for grass, the judge said. “It will look good when it’s on grade and covered.”

    The metal parts are being saved and sold for recycling by the deconstruction company.

    “Someone is coming to look at what it will take to cover the open east wall and fix the roof so that it doesn’t leak,” the judge said, adding that the inside of the building will be ‘gutted’ so that it can remain empty until the space is needed.

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