North Charleston officials tour vacant hospital the city is buying, see possibilities

At first glance the interior of the enormous, vacant and dimly-lit Charleston Naval Hospital seems like the perfect setting for a horror movie — there’s even a stained autopsy table in the basement — but city officials see great possibilities.

North Charleston has agreed to buy the hospital building on 24 acres of land from the Navy for $2 million, and believes the property will become a key to revitalizing the city’s South End. The city also owns the site of a former shopping center across the street, at Rivers and McMillan avenues.

The 39-year-old hospital building is the tallest in the city, at 10 stories, and contains roughly 1,800 rooms according to facilities manager C.W. “Bo” Knight. The concrete structure has about 380,000 square feet under roof, he said.

City Council members and Mayor Keith Summey toured the site this morning, and most came away pleased. While some areas of the building are in disrepair, most former patient and staff rooms appear to be in good condition.

“The purchase price is worth every penny,” said Councilman Todd Olds.

The city has no plan for the property, but wanted control over what happens there.

“Whoever develops this, and the property across the street, this is central to starting to heal the South End,” Summey said.

Read more in Friday’s editions of The Post and Courier. Follow David Slade on Twitter @DSladeNews.