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The parking lot of Hialeah Hospital has been closed and will be condemned for demolition after city officials classified it as an unsafe structure.
The decision was made after residents, concerned for their safety, reported to Telemundo 51 the serious deterioration of the building.
The investigation confirmed the validity of the complaints.
A quick glance revealed the condition of the building: corroded concrete, broken pipes, exposed support beams, and dozens of temporary structures that had been propping up the facility for almost three years.
On the same day that the team from Telemundo 51 reached out to the owner with images of the damage, the parking lot was still in use and filled with vehicles.
Hours later, it was officially closed by the city's Department of Codes, which posted a sign describing the construction as "unsafe."
Years of neglect and ignored warnings
Residents and users had been warning about the condition of the building.
"The parking lot was in bad shape, with many people complaining about the structure, the paint, and the water dripping," reported Erick Martínez, who works at a nearby car wash.
"They tried to secure it to a certain point, but the time has come for them to remodel," he added.
Patients and family members assert that the building has been deteriorating year after year, and so far the only response has been to prop it up.
Incomplete repairs and bankruptcy of the administrators
The temporary supports were installed in 2022 by the construction company PEAK CM. A year later, the company proposed an investment of 3 million dollars to Steward Health Care - then the administrators of the hospital - for permanent repairs.
The proposal was never approved. In 2024, Steward declared bankruptcy and the structure was left abandoned without maintenance.
According to Jerry Davis, president of PEAK CM, when his company lost control of the property, the city and Steward Health Care were notified.
For its part, the Hialeah Department of Construction confirmed in a statement that for months they attempted to have the owners make structural changes.
The latest inspection revealed severe damage to essential components, leading to the property being declared "condemned due to high risk."
Demolition and Alternatives
The owning company, Medical Properties Trust (MPT), acknowledged the inherited issues from the abandonment and announced that the building will be demolished to make way for a new parking lot.
Meanwhile, they will provide alternative spaces and bus transportation for patients and visitors.
The hospital, located at 651 E 25th St., opened in 1951 and has 378 intensive care beds, serving the Hialeah community for over seven decades.
For many, the closure of the parking lot was no surprise: "The place was quite rundown," stated a patient.
The closure confirms what had been feared for years: the infrastructure is no longer safe, and the city had no choice but to intervene.
Frequently asked questions about the closure of the Hialeah hospital parking lot
Why was the parking lot of the Hialeah hospital closed?
The parking lot of Hialeah Hospital was closed because it was classified as an unsafe structure by city authorities. Serious issues were found, such as corroded concrete, broken pipes, and exposed support bars, which posed a significant risk to users.
What will happen to the parking lot after it closes?
The parking lot will be demolished and a new parking facility is planned to be built in its place. In the meantime, alternative spaces and bus transportation will be provided for patients and visitors who need to access the hospital.
What structural problems were found in the parking lot of the Hialeah hospital?
Among the structural issues identified were corroded concrete, broken pipes, exposed support rods, and the use of temporary structures that had been sustaining the facility for nearly three years. These problems were sufficient for the city to classify it as "unsafe."
Why weren't the necessary repairs made in the parking lot?
The construction company PEAK CM proposed an investment of 3 million dollars for permanent repairs, but the proposal was never approved by the hospital administrators at that time. Subsequently, Steward Health Care, the administrators, declared bankruptcy, leaving the structure without proper maintenance.
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