Fresno City Council should say yes to turning an empty eyesore into badly needed housing

The University Medical Center in Fresno was in its final days in early 2007. It closed later that year, and the defunct hospital at East Kings Canyon Road and South Cedar Avenue has been nothing but a giant eyesore ever since.

The county-owned site has also represented the constant disappointment of possible sales that failed to materialize. The blight has carried on, seemingly impervious to any other good use for the 30-acre property.

Now comes a new idea. On Thursday, Nov. 4, the Fresno City Council will consider offering $4.25 million to buy the property from the county. Instead of an empty hospital and secondary buildings, the land would be sold to developers for mixed-income housing, a park and retail and commercial spaces.

That is a smart move. Using that land for new development follows the city’s General Plan and adds badly needed housing. The council should back the proposal.

Personal ties

The UMC campus is in Council member Nelson Esparza’s District 7. He has personal interest in the UMC site: One of his first jobs after college was working for county social services in one of the buildings on the property.

“My grandmother passed away there (at the hospital) in ‘05,” Esparza added.

He hopes the city takes advantage of the possibilities being presented.

“For the first time in a long time, we have a legitimate opportunity to acquire the land and do something good with it,” he said. “I am looking forward to receiving the neighborhood’s input, but whatever we do there will be a substantial improvement from where we are today.”

Housing potential

Besides the purchase price for the acreage, the city would spend another $14.6 million to demolish the hospital and clean up any asbestos that may be at the site (asbestos causes cancer when inhaled).

Extending water and sewer lines, at a cost of $8 million, would be paid by developers. So would the $12 million cost of streets and sidewalks.

Developing the property is exactly the kind of in-fill project that is prioritized in the city’s General Plan, its overall vision for growth.

Having mixed uses of housing, retail and park space is also considered good growth. The theory is residents could purchase goods they need from the retailers on site, without having to drive to shops. They could also enjoy the park space right outside their front doors.

The county is seeking $6 million for the property, but might take less should the buyer be a public agency, like the city. Given the unfulfilled potential of the land all these years, the county would do well to accept any city offer, and get out of owning the UMC land.

Large properties inside city limits are scarce. The UMC site has tons of potential. The City Council should get the effort started by approving the offer letter being proposed by Mayor Jerry Dyer.