MASON CITY – The Mason City Council unanimously approved zoning changes in Forest Park and the conveyance of 1st Street SW between South Taylor Avenue and Linden Drive, paving the way for Mercy to move ahead with an expansion project.
First Street SW would be re-routed north and roughly 10 homes owned by Mercy will be moved, salvaged or demolished to make way for a new energy plant and docking area for trucks.
Mercy owns all the land in question, and now will own the land under 1st Street SW.
Mercy officials have said that the new energy plant would be located approximately just north of the corner of South Taylor Avenue and 1st Street SW and will be “cleaner” and “quieter” than the current configuration.
Forest Park residents again turned out to blast the City Council and Mercy over what they say are loss of property values and quality of life.
Mercy had explained that the expansion is needed for “patient safety” due to possibly losing power, which they say has happened recently.
Forest Park residents seemed resigned to the fact that arguing against “patient safety” was a lost cause and an argument they could not overcome.
In passing the zoning change and the street conveyance, the council urged cooperation between Mercy and Forest Park residents and was united in saying that the project was a “need” for Mercy versus “wants” or “preferences” of nearby homeowners.
The project could start as early as Spring of 2013 and wrap up by the end of 2014, in two phases. Basically, the process would be to install utilities, re-route and build the road system, install green space, and then build.
Watch Public forum discussion on the Mercy issue:
httpv://youtu.be/j999j7VVkG8
Somebody had to vote for that council; they just didn’t walk in and sit down. Same goes for the mayor.
Maybe the council members should be forced to live next to this new construction
Mercy wants….the council kisses..new business owners agree..mason city unfriendly
Some of the comments on here are always laughable. Mercy trying to become another Mayo Clinic. That is such a joke. I’m not always a Mercy fan either but the idea that anyone thinks they can become another Mayo is ludicrous. The powers that be at Mercy certainly know they can’t ever become as big as Mayo. They aren’t stupid, you know. Everyone is lucky that a world famous facility is within an hour and a half from MC but that doesn’t mean that Mercy shouldn’t keep their hospital up-to-date with modern technology, highly trained doctors, new equipment and a modern building. I can guarantee that some of you complaining about Mercy will someday appreciate a state-of-the-art hospital right in our city when you need them most.
Mason City is a dying town. Crime runs virtually unchecked. Few large companies and not many businesses, a totally inept police dept, and a hospital with a pipe dream of being another Mayo Clinic. Can anyone tell me what Mason City has to attract anyone, family, business, or retiree? And please don’t tell me the Park Inn, Music Man Square, or the new statues the city put up. Mason City is going down, and we all are on the downward spiral going with it.
Mercy got its way as expected. Now nothing can stop them. they can
add floors to this project. The interior skelton of the older part of the hospital will not support added floors. The next project after this one will be to tear down McCalley hall build a new six story building tying it in with this new energy plant building and the cancer center building.
Let alone the mature trees that will be lost
Didn’t surprise me at all. What else can you expect from our Mayor and city council. Money talks and taxpayers walk. No wonder no one wants to start a business in this city.
Way to listen to the townspeople and tax payers! All you need is money to buy this council’s vote !!! SAD
SURPRISE NOT