Mercy Hospital Demolition Begins Tomorrow

mercyhospital-6
mercyhospital-6

The former Mercy Hospital building in Benton Harbor will soon be no more. Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski tells us demolition starts Monday, and it should be finished within a few weeks. Witkowski tells WSJM News it’s a shame to see the historic structure go, but there was little chance another use could have been found for it.

“For someone to go in and just move walls, it’s just not that simple,” Witkowski said. “It was built as a hospital, and it’s really hard to use for something other than that.”

Two pallets of bricks from the building, along with the letters on the side, will be given to the Morton House in Benton Harbor. Once the building is gone, Witkowski says his office will care for the property while looking for a buyer. He’s expecting a large crowd to turn out to watch the demolition. However, he notes it won’t be as exciting as some might imagine. There won’t be any implosion. Rather, they’ll take apart the building gradually. It should take a few weeks.