Hospital backs off on property development

The Doctors Hospital field will remain a field for some time to come.

The 21-acre property between Washington Road and Ronald Reagan Drive in front of the Columbia CountyGovernment Complex is currently being used as a community playground.

On any given day, the public uses the field to fly kites or model airplanes, ride dirt bikes and even hone their soccer skills.

"We're evaluating our vision for that piece of property," said Doctors Hospital Chief Operating Officer Shayne George.

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"Currently, we've allowed the Marshall (Branch of the Family) Y to set it up for soccer through May," he said.

In addition to soccer, Doctors Hospital has allowed several local groups to play host to events and fund-raisers on the field like Fire Fest and even a circus.

Columbia County Family Y Branch Director Avery Villines said the field is large enough to accommodate multiple activities.

"There hasn't been a problem sharing," said Villines.

"The other day I went out there and just asked these guys if they could move their truck and they said, 'No problem,' because it's so big. It's just a huge space so it hasn't been an issue at all," she said.

Doctors Hospital purchased the property in the 1980s and built the Doctors Hospital Medical Plaza adjacent to the field in 1991. Including the medical plaza, the property is worth around $4 million.

The hospital was working on leasing spaces for a proposed building to be erected on the property, according to an article published last June in The Columbia County News-Times. But that is no longer the case.

"We had gone through the process, but have backed off on it. We'll eventually continue that process," George said.

In the meantime, George said the community is welcome to use the field for private amusement or larger social gatherings like the upcoming Memorial Day festivities May 24.

"We're on this year, but we take it year by year," said Columbia County Emergency Services Director Pam Tucker, whose office is helping organize the Memorial Day event.

"Who knows? Maybe we'll get the library and the amphitheater and we can do it there next time," she said.

George said the hospital will one day build on the property, but a construction timeline has yet to be established.

"It's wide open right now," George said. "We'll look at the county and look at what the needs are before we decide. I think medical office buildings would be the first step."

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