Hayswood Hospital

Hayswood Hospital is a former medical center in Maysville, Kentucky.

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History

The Wilson Infirmary, operated by May Peale Wilson from the early 1800s to 1908, was Maysville’s first hospital. ² It closed shortly after Wilson’s death in 1908 and the structure was later razed. Construction began on its replacement, the Hayswood Seminary, in 1915. ⁴

The Cincinnati, Ohio architectural firm Samuel Hannaford & Son was hired in August 1922 to draw up plans for a $45,000 addition to the Hayswood Seminary. ¹³ Upon completion of the addition in 1923, the facility was renamed Hayswood Hospital. ⁴ The building was expanded in 1925 and 1971 to accommodate 87 patients.

In 1981, Hayswood was acquired by the Hospital Corporation of America and the name changed to Maysville Hospital. ¹⁷ The landlocked and geographically-challenged hospital closed in 1983 after the new Meadowview Regional Medical Center opened on the outskirts of the city. ^{1 6 11}

Redevelopment

Presbyterian Homes acquired Hayswood with the intent to convert the complex into apartments and a limited care nursing home, but the removal and clean up of underground fuel tanks and asbestos proved to be too expensive. ¹⁶ The building was then sold to Ester Johnson of Classic Properties ^{3 10} at a public auction ¹ for $42,000 ¹¹ on July 30, 1994. ¹⁶ In 1999, Johnson announced plans to renovate the complex into apartments but financial considerations caused the project to languish. ¹⁰ Another of Johnson’s properties, the former Maysville High School, was renovated into apartments, as was another property in Covington, and their successes were cited as models for what Hayswood could become given enough funding.

Johnson attempted to sell Hayswood to the city for $55,000 in 2000, but the city declined the offer based upon the estimated $1 million that was required to remediate the property. ⁸

The city voted in November 2002 to apply for $250,000 in brownfield funding on an environmental study of Hayswood in preparation for either renovation or demolition of the site. ¹¹ The study was conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency on February 9, 2006, ^{5 9} who concluded that it would cost $5 million to demolish the former hospital. ¹⁰ A private firm estimated the demolition cost at $1 million. ¹¹ A $23,000 geological survey, to determine the effects of demolishing the hospital would have on the hillside, was completed in mid-2008. ¹⁰

On March 22, 2013, Tax Ease Lien Serving was granted an order by Judge Stockton Wood to auction Hayswood during a Master Commissioner’s sale on April 26. ¹¹ Tax Ease Lien Servicing held a lien against the owners of the property, E.D. Haye Inc., for defaulting on $5,984 in property tax payments in 2008 and 2009. E.D. Haye’s owner, Esther Johnson, filed a motion for default and summary judgment and asked for an order to sell. On the morning of the auction, the county learned that the plaintiff, Tax Ease Lien Servicing, had petitioned the circuit court to have the property removed from the sale as it was evaluating its options related to the property, its environmental issues, and the high cost of remediation and demolition. ¹²

Hayswood was sold to Stitch Up Properties of Brandenburg for $50,000 in June 2018. ¹⁴ The building was boarded up in October in preparations for potential renovations. ¹⁵

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Sources

1. Barker, Danetta. “First steps: Officials tour Hayswood building.” February 9, 2006. Ledger Independent (Maysville). March 8, 2007.
2. “Hayswood Hospital.” Adsagsona Paranormal Society. March 8, 2007.
3. Barker, Danetta. “Out of the hospital and into custody: Police make arrests at Hayswood.” September 22, 2005. Ledger Independent (Maysville). April 4, 2007.
4. Maynard, Misty. “Hayswood: Any change would be appreciated.” July 20, 2006. Ledger Independent (Maysville). April 4, 2007.
5. Doyle, Kasey. “Bill passed by the General Assembly positively affects brownfield development.” March 28, 2006. Ledger Independent (Maysville). April 4, 2007.
6. Barker, Danetta. “Dr. Blake interviewed for Hayswood assessment.” March 2, 2006. Ledger Independent (Maysville). April 4, 2007.
7. Maynard, Misty. “Phase II begins at Hayswood building.” June 26, 2006. Ledger Independent (Maysville). April 4, 2007.
8. “Dealing with Hayswood.” February 10, 2006. Ledger Independent (Maysville). April 4, 2007.
9. Barker, Danetta. “First Steps: Officials tour Hayswood building.” February 9, 2006. Ledger Independent (Maysville). April 4, 2007.
10. Goldman, Barbara. “City begins grant process for Hayswood.” Ledger Independent (Maysville) 11 Nov. 2008. 12 Nov. 2008.
11. Toncray, Marla. “For Sale: Hayswood Hospital.” Ledger Independent [Maysville] 22 Mar. 2013: n.p. Web. 12 Sept. 2013.
12. Toncray, Marla. “Hayswood sale plan halted.” Ledger Indpenendent [Maysville] 26 Apr. 2013: n.p. Web. 12 Sept. 2013.
13. “To Enlarge Sanatorium.” The Modern Hospital 19.2: 80. Print.
14. Kearns, Mary Ann. “Hayswood sold.” Ledger Independent [Maysville], 1 Jun. 2018.
15. “Battening down the Hayswood.” Ledger Independent [Maysville], 10 Oct. 2008.
16. “50 Years, 50 Stories.” Ledger Independent [Maysville], 4 Oct. 2018.
17. Calvert, Jean and John Klee. Maysville, Kentucky: From Past to Present in Pictures, Mason County Museum, 1983, pp. 76, 86.