Neighbors come out to support infill project
Healdsburg General Hospital opened 86 years ago this month on Johnson Street. It was well-appointed for its time, with space for 14 patients, an operating room, a nursery, a solarium and an x-ray machine. It was not Healdsburg’s first hospital, but it was once its finest and newest.
The community outgrew the facility, and a new hospital was opened on University in 1972.
The Johnson Street building eventually became home to the Duff family’s chiropractic office but has been closed for some time.
The old building has attracted vandals, arsonists, campers and vermin and neighbors have grown increasingly concerned about the property.
Tuesday night, a new idea for the property came before the Healdsburg Planning Commission and was well-received.
Pending final approval from the Healdsburg City Council, the hospital will be demolished and replaced with six new homes.
A group of neighbors attended the meeting in support of the proposal.
“The developer has been very responsive,” said Patrick Paquette, who owns property across the street. Other neighbors praised the project’s “transparency.”
“It’s nice to hear from the community that you don’t hate the developer,” joked Planning Commissioner Jeff Civian. “I’m sorry to see the old hospital go, but this is a good project.”
Planning Commissioner Jerry Eddinger agreed. “I think my whole family was born in that hospital, but I want to see this project go forward,” he said.
Ken Rose, a CPA whose property adjoins the hospital property to the west, supported the project, but asked that something be done about two heritage trees on the property that drop debris and branches on his property. “I clean up after those tress weekly,” Rose said.
Rick Cooper, a real estate broker working on the project, told the planning commission that the trees would be pruned and cleaned up.
Planning Commissioner Phil Luks noted that, with the current shortage of workforce housing, “This project continues a long string of projects that are not diverse (in affordability), but not every project has to meet that requirement. This is an infill project that will keep the look and feel of the neighborhood.”
