HCNotes: City plans to save parts of hospital for posterity; save bricks for residents

The old Henderson County Memorial Hospital took another step toward being torn down this week, but this time with a nod toward remembering history.

Monday night, the Athens City Council gave its approval to a Request for Proposals (RFP) from the city. An RFP is a request for business proposals, in this case the demolition and removal of the old hospital.

Built into this particular RFP is language that would save the hospital chandelier and cupola, plus save 500 bricks for residents who want a piece of the hospital to remember.

Details for how the bricks will be shared have not been finalized at this time.

Actual demolition of the hospital is not expected to sometime after the New Year.

The work toward tearing down the hospital began back in June and has included the city becoming owners of the property in order to expedite the process.

— Michael V. Hannigan