Gone, but not forgotten: Old Good Samaritan Hospital demolished on first anniversary of new hospital opening

The Du Quoin Evening Call extends its deep appreciation to Rose Aldag-McVey and Rachel Hall of the Good Samaritan Hospital marketing department for their assistance)

A great hospital began coming down this month, almost one year to the day that the new Good Samaritan Regional Health Center opened a mile to the north.

Trustees sold the old hospital campus to Shores Builders of Centralia which will turn the site into green spaces with a likely housing development in the property's future.

The facilities on the site include the hospital and Sister Joanne Memorial Building, which were vacated in January 2013 when the replacement Good Samaritan Regional Health Center was opened.

"It was always our intent that the existing hospital and Sister Joanne building would be demolished and taken back to green-lots," said Mike Warren, President of Good Samaritan Regional Health Center, "by potentially selling the facilities to Shores Builders, they would demolish and plan for future development of the site."

Good Samaritan Regional Health Center broke ground on a new 134-bed, $237 million replacement hospital and Medical Plaza in April 2010. The new campus is located near Veterans Memorial Drive, adjacent to the exit 94 interchange in Mt. Vernon.