A new assisted-living facility in Croy Canyon west of Hailey is a significant step closer to becoming a reality.
The Blaine County Commission unanimously voted Thursday to seek voter approval to sell the old county hospital in Hailey in an effort to fund construction of the new facility. The old building now houses the Hailey Medical Clinic and the Blaine Manor senior center.
The plan, which requires approval by a simple majority of county voters, will be voted on May 22, said Commissioner Tom Bowman.
The proposal is part of a plan to build a new, roughly $20 million retirement center in Croy Canyon and close Blaine Manor, which is old and has merely 25 beds, too small to meet growing needs.
Commissioner Sarah Michael said the old hospital building has not yet been appraised, but she said estimates put its value at about $6 million, all of which would go toward the new facility.
In its Thursday vote, the commission also agreed to pony up between $500,000 and $600,000 in unused funds from its budget to fund initial planning efforts. Those funds would be replaced in county coffers when the sale of the old hospital goes through, Michael said.
"I feel that the Croy Canyon Foundation has put together an outstanding team of experts who will make the new facility a model for the country on senior care," Michael said. "It is a community project that requires the participation and commitment from all Blaine County residents, young and old."
The new facility would be built on 20 acres owned by the Croy Canyon Ranch Foundation. It would include independent, assisted-living and nursing care units. The total cost of the new facility, which would be LEED (leadership in energy and environmental design) certified, would be in the neighborhood of $22 million. Part of that would be funded by the sale of the current facility.
Foundation board members claim the county's financial assistance is necessary just to keep the project afloat. The foundation is also seeking private donations.
