Page 22 - Rome CM 2025

Inside at

Battey Business

Complex

he Northwest Regional Hospital had a commanding

presence in Rome, Georgia beginning with its early
T days as a military hospital – up until it closed in 2011.

Since then, the 132-acre campus demolition is expected to begin in 2025.
has stood vacant, as the 60+ buildings The current plan is to demolish most of
slowly deteriorate and the community the buildings on the site, clearing the land
mourns, remembering the bustling health for new development.
facility that previously employed more “We plan to keep the Chapel, the open-
than 800 people. air Pavilion and the Gymnasium, which we
Numerous plans have been presented plan to turn into a daycare,” said Missy
to the State for the use of the facility. Kendrick, the President of RFCDA. Once
All were rejected until the Rome Floyd the structures are removed, the property
County Development Authority (RFCDA) can be customized to meet small or large
approached the State to purchase the parcels needed by light industry.
property and turn it into an industrial The Rome Floyd County Development
park. With the potential to attract capital Authority is also working with brandRED
investment and the opportunity to replace to produce a documentary of the former
the jobs that were lost upon the hospital’s hospital with grant funds received from
closure, the State agreed to sell to the the Rome Area Heritage Foundation. “We
Authority in February 2022. The site was are grateful to the many citizens that
renamed the Battey Business Complex gave their time and efforts to the hospital
to honor one of the local physicians who and for the significant impact they had on
pioneered medical procedures critical to our community," said Michelle Phillips, the
women’s health. Project Analyst for the RFCDA.
Upon acquiring the property, Once Battey Business Complex
the Authority began environmental is complete, new jobs and capital
assessments and learned that there investment will turn the once thriving
were great quantities of asbestos and site back into an employment center
lead paint. To remediate the hazardous that will make the community proud. The
materials and demolish the buildings, the community could begin to see some
RFCDA received three grants, totaling changes taking place as early as
$7.66 million and remediation and January 2025.

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