DAYTON — Premier Health officials have told this news organization that they want to "transform" the soon-to-be former main campus of Good Samaritan Hospital once the facility closes at the end of the year.
Related: Good Samaritan to close: What we have learned
They don't know exactly what redevelopment will look like on the site once the buildings are razed, but they say it's a process they will be here to see through.
"Unlike other Dayton-based employers who closed a business and walked away from Dayton, Premier Health will be working with others to explore the possibilities of redevelopment," President and CEO Mary Kay Boosalis said Wednesday during the news conference at which she announced the hospital’s closing.
The city of Dayton plans to hold Boosalis to her words as the leadership will push them to redevelop the site.
"They shouldn't just sell the site off,” Mayor Nan Whaley said. “They should stay with the site and make sure that is truly developed for the community to benefit from that. They should have community input in the redevelopment and they have to put significant dollars into that."
Related: 5 things you need to know about Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton
Premier has hired Columbus-based Planning Next and Dayton-based Citywide Development Corp. to help re-purpose the site, officials said. The firms will team up to help plan, design and transform the site “for decades to come,” Boosalis said.
The goal is for the site to be shovel-ready after the hospital closes at the end of this year and the buildings are torn down. However, demolition dates have not been announced.
Citywide and Planning Next declined to comment about the development plans Thursday, instead deferring to Premier.