The Medical Center of SETX buys the former Renaissance Hospital
Published 12:07 pm Wednesday, November 29, 2017
- FILE PHOTO — The former Renaissance Hospital has stood vacant for five years and has become a magnet for criminal activity and rodents. The Medical Center of Southeast Texas has bought the hospital a year ago. Mary Meaux/The News
GROVES — After four years of sitting vacant, the former Renaissance Hospital has a new owner.
The Medical Center of Southeast Texas purchased the property, located at 5500 39th St. in Groves, several weeks ago.
Groves City Manager D. Sosa said the hospital, which was officially closed on Nov. 12, 2013, would likely be torn down and a stand-alone emergency room be built.
Putting the property back on the tax rolls is a plus for the city as well as adding employees to the business.
“And there will be people coming into Groves as a destination all hours of the day and night,” Sosa said.
Acadian ambulance has an office adjacent to the hospital property, another plus, he said.
Stefanie Wolfford, director of business development/physician recruitment at The Medical Center of Southeast Texas, confirmed the sale occurred but added that plans have not been finalized on the building at this point.
The hospital in Groves property was once home to the successful Doctors Hospital, which was started by a group of local doctors. Renaissance Hospital bought the former Doctor’s Hospital in 2004 after the Doctor’s Hospital began to experience financial difficulties.
Headed up Dan Delagarza, the facility was refurbished with state-of-the-art equipment, updated patient rooms and other upgrades at that time.
The hospital thrived for a while and was quickly up and running after 2005’s Hurricane Rita.
By 2009 the hospital went into bankruptcy and changed hands again as it was purchased by Atlantic Health Group. Later that year, Steve and Eileen Nguyen took ownership and within two years payroll issues came to light. The hospital later lost certification to accept Medicare patients and a new management group, Foundation Surgical Hospital Affiliates based in Oklahoma, Ok., came in.
Things were starting to look up for the hospital under the leadership of Woodrow “Woody” Moore but his leadership was only to be a temporary fix until a new owner entered the picture.
Another owner, Jason LeDay of St. Anthony Hospital in Houston, never actually opened the doors to the hospital and, at that time, did not return calls to The Port Arthur News.
