MEDIA, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — The healthcare restoration project in Delaware County moves forward with the sale of the former Crozer-Chester Medical Center, a step officials said could help restore services lost after Crozer Health closed.
The 65-acre campus was purchased for $10 million by Chariot Equities, who officials said plans to restore hospital and emergency services at the site. The property was sold by Prospect Medical, the bankrupt owner that closed Crozer’s medical services in the county.
“The good news today is that they are finally out of this building, they are no longer in control, and we can start to rebuild,” said state Rep. Leanne Krueger, who represents parts of Delaware County.
Krueger said many residents feared the property would be redeveloped for housing, but those concerns are being put to rest.
“A lot of the folks that I represent here were afraid that someone was going to come in buy this property and tear it down, then build houses,” she said.
Instead, Chariot Equities plans to return the site to its original purpose.
“Their plan is to finalize an agreement with a nonprofit healthcare system within 6 months, to actually operate the hospital,” Krueger said.
She cautioned that the reopening will not be an easy process, but there is a plan.
“They expect the first phase to take about 2 years. That’s because Prospect completely divested in Crozer Chester. The building is in rough shape. They did not make the necessary repairs. There were two fires in the month before it closed,” she said.
News of the Crozer-Chester sale comes as a potential investor is also working to purchase the former Springfield hospital building, which was part of the Crozer system.