A redevelopment plan by an Overland Park company may keep the former St. John’s Hospital from being torn down.

In information supplied to the Salina City Commission for their meeting Monday, Comprise and Salina Regional Health Center signed a real estate purchase contract on March 4th for the purchase of the Penn Campus at 139 N. Penn.

The due diligence period in the contract is 150 days and closing is scheduled for 90 days after the expiration of the due diligence period.

Comprise has been given preliminary approval from Wells Fargo Bank for a $23 million rehabilitation project to convert the old hospital to residential apartments.

The redevelopment plan is to convert the existing building into affordable senior housing of 104 units. They would be one or two bedroom units with amenities that are appropriate for seniors. The building would retain all of the historic portions of the building but some of the newer additions will be removed to restore the historical integrity and significance of the building.

Immediately upon the purchase of the property Comprise will begin construction on the redevelopment. They anticipate this occurring towards this fall. Construction should take one year to complete and leasing will begin at the end of construction.

Salina city staff recommends to the commission to postpone again on Monday, a request to demolish the building by Salina Regional Health Center approved by the Heritage Commission in December.

In January the commission delayed approval of demolition during a public hearing until April 14th after an appeal by Jim Ravenkamp to overturn the Heritage Commission approval of demolition of the building.

The following is a time line from Comprise for the redevelopment of the building:

March 4th Contract date
August 1st Due Diligence Period Ends
October 30th Closing Scheduled
December 4th 1 Year Anniversary of Heritage Commission Consideration of SRHC’s Demolition Request
January 28th 2015 Contract Expires

The Salina City Commission meeting begins Monday at 4pm in room 107 of the City/County Building