PRESCOTT – The site of what once was a historic building in Prescott has gone to ruins over the last several years, and the Prescott City Council voted at its meeting Monday, June 27 to order the former hospital building at 445 Court St. N. razed.

The three-story St. Croixdale hospital building was constructed at the site in 1926 with 28 private rooms. The facility was expanded over the years, but its specialty was switched to psychiatric, alcohol and drug treatment in the 1950s, when a new hospital was built in Hastings. The original hospital building was demolished in 1976. A complex built on the site had 81 rooms, and in 1980 was renamed Riverhills. It was a nationally- recognized center for people with psychiatric and chemical abuse illness. Riverhills shut down in 1993, and the value of the property at that time was assessed at $1.67 million.

The facility changed hands several times and was purchased by Hearth Development of St. Paul for $272,000 in 2019, which planned to tear down the buildings and develop an assisted living facility on the site. They then decided to try to renovate some of the existing structures. However, nothing ever came to fruition, and the company scrapped its plans, and has tried to sell the property, which sits on 2.24 acres surrounded by residences.

Neighbors have complained to the city about overall neglect at the property and possible drug activity. The city council, at its June 13 meeting, was presented with a petition signed by 14 neighbors that stated, “We would like to raise the awareness regarding a failed attempt at renovating a rather large building on Court Street. We have been quite patient with the various owners as they determined a plan for the site, however it is understood that the current owners are abandoning their plans.”

In addition to “police activity on a consistent basis,” problems include downed trees, boarded-up building exterior, tall weeds and garbage on the site.

The property was purchased by Hearth Development of St. Paul for $272,000 in 2019. The company’s plans to develop the vacant building into an assisted living facility have been scrapped, and the property is for sale. That year, Greg Johnson of Hearth Development contacted the city to see if there were any financing options available to raze the structure and construct a new building on the 2.24-acre site.

Now, the site has allegedly become home to drug activity at the neglected property. City Administrator Matt Wolf told the city council that since January 2021, the Prescott Police Department has been dispatched for 36 incident reports at the property “ranging from suspicious persons/activity, theft, trespassing and security checks to maintain security for the surrounding residents.”

Wolf presented photos taken in spring of 2020 when maintenance was being done on the property and then last week, showing the property is in general disrepair. Hearth Development was issued a code enforcement compliance letter, stating that code issues needed to be addressed within a month, and nothing has been done at the site to rectify problems.

City building inspector, Todd Dolan of All-Croix Inspects, determined that the building meets state statute conditions to raze the building. His opinion was that the repairs necessary exceed 50 percent of the assessed value of the property, which is $52,000.

The raze order gives Hearth Development 30 days, until July 29, 2022, to tear down the building.

“If the owner fails or refuses to comply within the time prescribed, the city may proceed to raze the building through any available public agency or by contract or arrangement with private persons, or to secure the building and, if necessary, the property on which the building is located if unfit for hu man habitation, occupancy or use,” Wolf told council members.

City costs incurred can be charged against the real estate as a lien.

(Historical information courtesy of “A History of Prescott, Wisconsin” by Dorothy Eaton Ahlgren and Mary Cotter Beeler.)

The Prescott City Council voted to issue a raze order of this dilapidated former hospital building at 445 Court St. N. The owner of the property, Hearth Development of St. Paul, failed to comply with city code enforcement action. Neighbors have complained about the condition of the property, and activity there that has led to numerous calls to the Prescott Police Department. Photos by Riley Dorau