The former Community Hospital in New Port Richey is nothing but an empty building with an empty parking lot. The west Pasco County campus for the Medical Center of Trinity moved out two years ago.
Now, many say it's the perfect spot for a new Veterans Administration clinic being discussed.
“It’s a tremendous thing," said New Port Richey's economic development director, Mario Iezzoni. "We have had a community hospital at the site for many years; a lot of the local people are very comfortable with going to that area."
Lauren Price, an Iraqi war veteran and founder of Veteran Warriors, is one of many who hope the community hospital is her new place for care.
“For me to go to Tampa means my husband or one of my sons has to drive me," she said. "I can’t drive that far anymore. I could drive to here; I can’t drive that far out.”
She also says the location is ideal for those veterans who don’t drive at all.
“I have veterans that don’t drive at all. They don’t have a car. They rely on a mass transit. This facility is still on the mass transit line,” Price said.
City leaders also think the location is ideal. Since the medical center moved, New Port Richey has lost a lot of property tax revenue.
“Since the community hospital has left, the property value has declined significantly - primarily commercial property value,” Iezzoni said.
The property value dropped from $20 million to just $4 million. Leaders say bringing in something new won’t just help their bottom line, it could also mean jobs for the residents.
The goal is to convince federal leaders the site is the best option for everyone.