Two bidders have emerged to buy the closed Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Springfield Hospital and all that’s needed is the federal bankruptcy court’s approval.
Court records show that Chariot Allaire Partners LLC wants to purchase the Crozer-Chester Medical Center for $10 million. The Restorative Health Foundation and Syan Investments are the back-up bidder, if the sale to Chariot does not close successfully.
The Restorative Health Foundation and Syan Investments are also the top bidder emerging for the Springfield Hospital for $3 million.
It was not clear what the bidders would do with the buildings.
“I’m certainly glad that it’s looking like these properties will not simply be abandoned,” U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stacey G.C. Jernigan of the Northern Texas District court, who is presiding over the case, said Tuesday. “And so we will see what happens in the coming days.”
“There has been a proposed sale of the properties,” Anne Wallace, attorney for the debtors, said. “The debtors are … quite happy with the outcome of the results of the auction in Pennsylvania and cautiously optimistic about next steps with regards to those sales.”
The Crozer-Chester Medical Center facility at 1 Medical Center Blvd. in Upland is a 1.1 million-square-foot facility, including a 283-bed hospital, multiple medical office buildings and specialized care centers on a 64-acre campus with two parking garages totaling nearly 480,000 square feet.
The Restorative Health Foundation and Syan Investments are the top bidders at $3 million for Springfield Hospital. The transaction must be approved in federal bankruptcy court. (PETE BANNAN – DAILY TIMES)
Springfield Hospital at 190 W. Sproul Road in Springfield is a 92,000-square-foot facility housing a 39-bed hospital that provided inpatient and outpatient primary and specialty care services. Its campus sits on 11 acres. The Springfield YMCA is also housed on that campus.
After filing for bankruptcy in January, Prospect Medical Holdings Inc. closed Taylor Hospital in April and Crozer-Chester Medical Center in May. The for-private California-based private equity firm closed Springfield Hospital in 2020. and Delaware County Memorial Hospital in 2022.
KQT Aikens Partners purchased Taylor Hospital for $1 million, and wants to turn it into a hospital, and the Upper Darby School District purchased Delaware County Memorial for $600,000.
Prospect put the other properties out to bid and an auction was held last week.
In order for the matter to move forward, the properties had to be abandoned through the bankruptcy court, which they were. Having secured bidders for both properties, Prospect awaits court approval while working on the Springfield Township issues.
View from Springfield
Springfield Township, one of the taxing entities of the Springfield Hospital property, wanted a deed restriction that will allow the township to maintain some control of the ultimate use of the property.
“The Springfield Township Board of Commissioners believes very strongly that our residents deserve a say in how a buyer intends to utilize a property acquired at a rock bottom price,” Jeff Rudolph, president of the Springfield commissioners, said. “We will not allow Prospect Medical or the court to use the threat of abandonment to bully us into dropping the deed restriction.”
He noted that their situation was different from Delaware County and the Springfield School District.
“While Prospect has requested that we join Delaware County and the Springfield School District in agreeing to waive tax liens and a reduced property tax assessment, this is not something that we as a township are willing to do until we know who the buyer is and what business they intend to operate,” Rudolph said.
Springfield Township commissioners President Jeff Rudolph at a township meeting in June. “While Prospect’s threat of abandonment prompted concessions from other taxing authorities related to the sale of other properties, we believe the threat is ultimately empty,” he said about the current situation. (PETE BANNAN-DAILY TIMES)
“When the time comes, we will negotiate directly with the buyer,” the commissioners president said. “While Prospect’s threat of abandonment prompted concessions from other taxing authorities related to the sale of other properties, we believe the threat is ultimately empty. Abandonment does not add any money into the bankruptcy estate for the benefit of the debtors. In addition, the township can obtain the property at a tax sale if it comes to that. Put simply, the township has no intention of backing down from our position.”
As of Tuesday, township officials had not received any information about the property bidder.
“That’s part of the concern of the process,” Pete Peterson, township spokesman, explained. “They want to talk to the buyer about their plans for the community to make sure their plans are consistent with the comprehensive plan.”
In his statements, Rudolph also expressed concern for the YMCA on that hospital’s campus.
“We greatly value the YMCA here in our community,” Rudolph said. “The YMCA is much more than a gym or athletic facility. It also provides before and aftercare programs in partnership with the Springfield School District that are important to many working families. We are continuing to work with the YMCA and the Foundation for Delaware County to proactively address safety and security issues at the site.”
At Tuesday’s bankruptcy court proceedings, Prospect attorney Anne Wallace said the debtors and Springfield Township have met three times and described those conversations as “incredibly cooperative” and “productive,” as the parties outline steps to resolve existing matters. She asked that the court push these issues to Nov. 4.
Both township solicitor James J. Byrne Jr. and Laurel Roglan, the attorney for the Springfield YMCA, agreed.
Jernigan said she was glad that the parties met and are making progress towards a resolution.
At the least, it appears that the four Delaware County hospitals closed by Prospect Medical Holdings LLC will find a second life, though not all of them as medical facilities. (DAILY TIMES)
View from county
Delaware County spoke about the situation regarding Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Springfield Hospital.
“Delaware County is deeply committed to moving ahead after Prospect turned its back on our communities and in getting back to a place as soon as possible where more high-quality healthcare assets are in place to serve our 576,000 residents,” Delaware County Communications Director Mike Connolly said.
He explained that the county was asked to agree to modify the properties’ tax assessment to the value at the time of sale to facilitate a sale of these properties.
He said that same action was taken to facilitate the sale of Delaware County Memorial Hospital to the Upper Darby School District and Taylor Hospital to KQT Aikens Partners.
“This is ultimately in the best interests of every one of our residents and will help us work with potential partners to build a better future for healthcare in Delaware County,” he said.
Connolly also talked about the possibility of a sale for these facilities.
“Regarding potential buyers of the former Crozer properties, the county is supportive of anyone who will facilitate bringing high-quality health services into Delco responsibly, and without the kinds of destructive business practices of bad actors like Prospect which pushed our residents into the situation we are working so hard to repair,” he said.
Officials familiar with the Chester Upland School District said the district hopes it remains as a health facility and they hope to build a relationship with the new owner.
Another bankruptcy court proceeding is scheduled for Oct. 24.