Vacant hospital deemed nuisance

Published 6:19 pm Tuesday, December 18, 2018

GROVES — The former Renaissance Hospital, which got new owners a year ago, still sits vacant and decaying and has become a magnet for criminal activity and more.

A resident who lives near the hospital called Groves Police last Friday after seeing a car backed up to the hospital and two people loading items from inside the vacant building into the car. The person gave police a “play-by-play” of the action and officers stopped the car, which was traveling at a high rate of speed, on West Parkway at Boyd. A man from Bridge City and a female from Orange were inside.

An office peeked inside and reportedly saw items from the hospital, tools and copper wiring and tubing.

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“They told the officers there was another person with them that was still in the hospital,” Groves Police Chief Deputy Kirk Rice said.

Police set up a perimeter and Port Neches Police Department K9 Rico assisted. The dog found the third burglary suspect in the hospital. The man reportedly did not initially comply with officers’ instructions and the dog bit the man on the forearm.

The third suspect was from Nederland.

Rice said GPD gets called to the old hospital at least once a week for a variety of reasons ranging from suspicious persons to an open door or other suspicious type circumstance, he said.

Rice called the hospital a nuisance.

“It is a hazard,” he said. “There is a legitimate health risk and a liability for the owner of the property.”

One health risk comes from mold — the property has been vacant for five years, causing some officers to have to wear a mask when entering. Rodents also pose a threat.

The owners

There was some excitement late last year when it was announced that The Medical Center of Southeast Texas had purchased the old hospital that officially closed its doors Nov. 12, 2013.

A new owner usually heralds good things for the city — meaning the property would be put back on the tax rolls and generate job opportunities. But this has not happened yet.

The Port Arthur News reached out several times to a media person with The Medical Center for comments on the issue but no comments were issued by 6 p.m. Tuesday.