The board of directors of Ellis Medicine has approved the sale of its McClellan Street campus to a local development team.
The news was publicized in a Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority press release Wednesday. The buyer is a team headed by two experienced Capital Region developers, Jeff Buell and Chris Spraragen. Spraragen owns and operates Schenectady Hardware and Electric, one of the largest electrical contracting businesses in the area, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary.
“We commend Ellis for its stewardship of this campus,” Buell said in the press release. “While we are not blind to the enormous challenge of converting an aging hospital building into a new vibrant use, we have spent the past year looking at this building and at this campus and we see the great potential here. We are excited to move forward with a community-first mindset and understand the very real mantle we are placing on our shoulders.”
The campus, once home to St. Clare’s Hospital, has been a financial drain on Ellis for years. Despite encompassing the Ellis Residential and Rehabilitation Center and the Belanger School of Nursing, the property is 80% vacant and imposes a yearly cost of $5 million on the health care provider.
Ellis has owned the campus since 2008, but for several years it has been steadily transferring services from McClellan Street to other facilities, like Ellis Hospital and Bellevue Woman’s Center in Niskayuna. One of the few Ellis initiatives remaining on the campus is the Residential and Rehabilitation Center, a small nursing home. After two fruitless years of searching for an operator to buy the facility, Ellis announced in June it would be closing the center. The health care provider is currently working to relocate all residents and find alternative positions for its nursing home employees.
Paul Milton, president and CEO of Ellis Medicine, said the health care provider is optimistic about the McClellan Street property’s potential for growth.
“The McClellan campus has been instrumental in our organization’s history, and we are thrilled that our Belanger School of Nursing will remain there so we can continue to provide educational and career opportunities to hundreds in our community,” Milton said in the release. “At the same time, we are excited to work with our partners at Schenectady County, Metroplex and Jeff and Chris’ team to ensure that this property remains an economic benefit for our community.”
In addition to the Belanger School, two medical office buildings at the campus will remain under current ownership and continue to serve patients. The rest of the site will be in the hands of Buell and Spraragen. The development team plans to seek historic preservation status for the main hospital building. Additional green space is planned, as well as trails to connect the revitalized campus to the nearby Market 32 and Central Park.
Spraragen voiced appreciation for the opportunity to revitalize the sprawling, historic property in partnership with Ellis.
“We have a longstanding relationship with Ellis and value immensely their confidence in us. We grew up here and are loyal to our hometown,” Spraragen said in the press release. “We take pride in being a city stakeholder and understand that for our community to thrive, active and meaningful participation is essential. This location must be rejuvenated for the betterment of Schenectady, and we intend to redevelop the property for the benefit of the surrounding neighborhoods.”
The Schenectady County Legislature and Metroplex cooperated with Ellis and the buyers to facilitate the sale. Gary Hughes, chair of the Legislature, said the county hopes to “turn this underutilized area into a valuable community asset.”
“Located conveniently near Central Park and the Eastern Parkway Market 32, this site is ideal for housing that appeals to both downsizing seniors and young professionals,” Hughes said. “With experienced developers like Jeff and Chris working with our exceptional Metroplex team, we are confident that this campus has a bright future ahead.”
Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy also voiced confidence in the project.
“I join the County in this effort to honor the great legacy of St. Clare’s while we chart a future course that eventually ties this property into the Eastern Avenue and McClellan Street neighborhoods as well as our beautiful Central Park,” McCarthy said.
Metroplex Chair Ray Gillen, too, shared high hopes for the campus.
“As we rebuild this campus, we start with a strong foundation of two medical buildings and a nursing school that keep strong, positive activity going at the site while the main building is converted for new use and we connect the site to Central Park and nearby grocery store,” Gillen said. “We thank Jeff and Chris for their vision, their expertise and their investment.”
The sale is expected to close within the next few months, during which time the development team will conduct outreach about their plans with the community and seek required local and state approvals for the project.
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