Citizens Clash on Historic Nature of Old Hospital

During Wednesday's town council meeting, citizens and a county council member addressed council on their clashing views on whether or not the Old Hospital should be deemed historic and if it should be therefore preserved.

The Old Hospital, owned by the county, serves as the county council's Summerville chambers and services building. The building was erected in 1937 as a Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works building.

Issues began during a capital improvement projects meeting of county council, where it was proposed that the county sell the property to save $300,000 in leases and raise capital for a Summerville building that could house all of county services and more. . 

Summerville Mayor Bill Collins told Patch that this was just a "pipe dream" for the county.

Later, the town's Historic Preservation Commission moved to place the building under the protection of the historic district. The issue is now before town council, as it voted unanimously to move forward with notifying the building's owner that it was being considered for historic preservation Wednesday night.

"If it is put in the historic district, it does not mean it cannot be sold or demolished," Collins said. "It might only slow down the possibility of that happening."

Collins added that emotions are hot right now over something that is not based in fact but a "trial balloon." 

Commentators addressed council during the public comments period of Wednesday's meeting. . 

"Historic means more than old," one commentator said. He added that he'd like to hear that something of note, like a historic figure being born in the hospital or a famous architecture working on the building design, to have affected the building for it to become historic.

The president of the Summerville Preservation Society Heyward Hudson said the building was historic based on its bricks being Summerville bricks. And with the brick factory no longer in town, it is important to preserve buildings with locally made bricks from that era. 

Hudson also said this would represent the first expansion of the historic district in 30 years.

County Councilman Jay Byars took the lectern, making a joke that he was wearing a bullet-proof vest for the scorn he's incurred over calling the building not historic and suggesting the building be demolished.

"This is a divisive issue and it shouldn't be," Byars said. He said county plans for the building will always "give respect to the history of the property" and include the town on its future uses. 

He added that the county would not demolish the building.

But further commentators were not appeased. 

"It really gives a sense of place," a commentator said who was in favor of making the building historic. Another said it was the nicest building on the stretch for Interstate 26 toward the downtown.