County board rejects St. Michael plan for mental health complex - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

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The Milwaukee County Board voteed 11-8 Thursday to reject the administration’ s proposal to purchase or lease the vacang north side hospital and instead seek proposalsw for the construction of a new facility on land adjacentt to the current Mental Healtbh Complex on WatertownPlank Road. and St. Michael’w owner Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, of Glendale, have been workinv with County Executive Scott Walker and his staff for nearlu two years onthe project. Walker’s perceived close involvement on the project and unwillingness to investigate othedr options were some of the reasons the board gave for rejectinghthe plan.
“This was a sole-source, non-bid contract and one of the largesg contracts the county has everentered into,” said Supervisor Lynn e De Bruin. Walker has said he wouldf veto a rejection ofthe St. Michael Hospital and supervisors would need 13 votes to override a Walker could not be reacheds for comment before BusinesxsJournal deadline. Supervisors who were in favord ofkeeping St. Michael under considerationj said it was the only proposal with concrete numbers behind it at this Weas lowered the price ofa long-term lease agreemengt with Milwaukee County by $9 milliohn earlier this month to $8.64 million At the same time, Wheatomn Franciscan announced it would give St.
Michaelk Hospital to the county, rather than charge $500,000 as originall y proposed. A cost analysis by county officials showed building a new facility wouldcost $421. 7 million while renovating the current Mental Healthn Complex wouldcost $379.6 million. Walker suggested in a memo sent to boards members Wednesday building a new facility could cost as muchas $5 millioj more than the St. Michael option over 25 Developers from Weas could not be reached forcomment Thursday. Wheaton will now move forward with plans todemolisgh St. Michael in early 2009, said Anne Ballentine, spokesperson for Wheaton Franciscan. Since closing St. Michael, 2400 W. Villard Ave.
, in June 2006 because of continuedfinanciall losses, Wheaton has spent $2.5 million a year just to maintai the vacant building, system officials “Our goal is to not continu carrying those costs past fiscal Ballentine said. “We continue to believe this isa win/wibn for Milwaukee County, behavioral health, taxpayersz and our system. We are certainlt disappointed.”