NEWS BRIEF: Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens halts redevelopment of Atlanta Medical Center

“The Atlanta Medical Center campus is a vital cornerstone of the Old Fourth Ward community.” These were the words of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens as he announced a moratorium on any redevelopment plans, outside of emergency repairs, for Atlanta Medical Center, set to close on November 1. During the moratorium, Atlanta will evaluate the impact of the hospital’s closing to insure that whatever takes the place of AMC, medical or not, “is in line with the community’s needs and master plan.”

Dickens is pushing for the 25-acre site to continue providing healthcare for local residents. The 460-bed hospital has served the community for 120 years, and it’s closing has been the cause of many worries for low-income Atlantans.

Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman said the moratorium “buys us time to try to find a way in which we can have some kind of health care institution there instead of it being potentially used for other purposes.”

The moratorium is set to expire with the Atlanta City Council meeting on October 3, but the mayor hopes to extend it with the help of the City Council.

City Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari remarked, “Mayor Dickens understands the irreparable harm that the closure of this hospital would have on the City of Atlanta, and I am happy to partner with him in any way to keep this world-class healthcare provider open for years to come.” ajc.com