On Wednesday evening, the Planning Commission will host a public hearing on the healthcare system's plans, which include demolishing Kids' Station, converting Snowden House to residential use.
This sounds like a passion "make your mark" project for MWHC. I'd argue that a conference center, training center, and residences, these are not essential CapEx projects. The overarching goal of 501(c) (3) organizations is to advance the public interest and I'd argue this does this less than the alternative.
The zoning presumably was originally because there was a demonstrated need for daycare facilities for hospital staff, the greater community, and MWC staff. That need has only grown over time.
Nationally, the trend for major hospital systems is to expand investment in child-care facilities in order to recreate and retain top nurses and doctors. I assume MWHC saw the need for childcare for its employees and the community years ago when Kid's Station broke ground. I'm confused why MWHC now thinks this care is now unnecessary, even though the region is rapidly growing, the hospital system looks to grow, and leading experts in healthcare management sound the alarm that childcare is a growing issue.
Ballard Health, down the road in TN, VA, NC recently announced it will invest $37 million over the next three years to build 11 childcare centers, in addition to the three it already operates. Johns Hopkins offers childcare and has expansion as part of their hospital system master plan. Some of the best systems in the country offer onsite care to employees and the community; Mass General, New York Presbyterian.
Other communities have strings with rezoning actions to ensure there is a net benefit the host community especially when a negative externality is created. Why doesn't the zoning board as a condition require MWHC to provide x number of childcare slots (a number which should be equal to the number at Kid Station plus an amount for the future) and facilities? It's baffling that adequate childcare is absent from MWHC master planning.
The Advance reported last week that MWHC said the Snowden house would be made into a residence for the president of MWHC because he needs a larger house for all the receptions he conducts. Something wrong here. What would be the point of converting the house back into a residence if it is not to be used as such?
Hi Mr. Thomas, thanks for reading! I don't believe we have reported that. It may have been in another version of the Pie and Chai article about the Moss clinic, but it was not in the version that the Advance ran, which is here: https://fxbgadvance.substack.com/p/no-moss.
Here is what we reported in PIE & CHAI on Saturday, April 20 about Snowden House:
Mary Washington Healthcare has applied for rezoning to more than double the size of Snowden House—with either a 4,800 or a 6,000 square foot addition, depending on which city planning document is accurate—and to convert the structure into a 10,000-12,000 square foot "single-family detached" dwelling "with event space to host gatherings."
Documents recently posted on the Fredericksburg Planning Department website don’t specify who will live in the mansion. In a recent conversation with MWHC CEO Mike McDermott, Pie & Chai mentioned speculation in the community that McDermott and his wife would be moving into Snowden House; McDermott didn’t comment. Snowden House is similar to Brompton, a large, historic home on Fredericksburg’s Hanover Street that hosts events and serves as the residence for the University of Mary Washington president and his family.
This sounds like a passion "make your mark" project for MWHC. I'd argue that a conference center, training center, and residences, these are not essential CapEx projects. The overarching goal of 501(c) (3) organizations is to advance the public interest and I'd argue this does this less than the alternative.
The zoning presumably was originally because there was a demonstrated need for daycare facilities for hospital staff, the greater community, and MWC staff. That need has only grown over time.
Nationally, the trend for major hospital systems is to expand investment in child-care facilities in order to recreate and retain top nurses and doctors. I assume MWHC saw the need for childcare for its employees and the community years ago when Kid's Station broke ground. I'm confused why MWHC now thinks this care is now unnecessary, even though the region is rapidly growing, the hospital system looks to grow, and leading experts in healthcare management sound the alarm that childcare is a growing issue.
Ballard Health, down the road in TN, VA, NC recently announced it will invest $37 million over the next three years to build 11 childcare centers, in addition to the three it already operates. Johns Hopkins offers childcare and has expansion as part of their hospital system master plan. Some of the best systems in the country offer onsite care to employees and the community; Mass General, New York Presbyterian.
Other communities have strings with rezoning actions to ensure there is a net benefit the host community especially when a negative externality is created. Why doesn't the zoning board as a condition require MWHC to provide x number of childcare slots (a number which should be equal to the number at Kid Station plus an amount for the future) and facilities? It's baffling that adequate childcare is absent from MWHC master planning.
The Advance reported last week that MWHC said the Snowden house would be made into a residence for the president of MWHC because he needs a larger house for all the receptions he conducts. Something wrong here. What would be the point of converting the house back into a residence if it is not to be used as such?
Hi Mr. Thomas, thanks for reading! I don't believe we have reported that. It may have been in another version of the Pie and Chai article about the Moss clinic, but it was not in the version that the Advance ran, which is here: https://fxbgadvance.substack.com/p/no-moss.
I believe Mr. Thomas is referring to one of comments made in response to the March 25 article “Non profit hospitals exist to serve the community”.
Yes that was an excellent article.
Here is what we reported in PIE & CHAI on Saturday, April 20 about Snowden House:
Mary Washington Healthcare has applied for rezoning to more than double the size of Snowden House—with either a 4,800 or a 6,000 square foot addition, depending on which city planning document is accurate—and to convert the structure into a 10,000-12,000 square foot "single-family detached" dwelling "with event space to host gatherings."
Documents recently posted on the Fredericksburg Planning Department website don’t specify who will live in the mansion. In a recent conversation with MWHC CEO Mike McDermott, Pie & Chai mentioned speculation in the community that McDermott and his wife would be moving into Snowden House; McDermott didn’t comment. Snowden House is similar to Brompton, a large, historic home on Fredericksburg’s Hanover Street that hosts events and serves as the residence for the University of Mary Washington president and his family.
I agree. This non-profit hospital could save millions $$ better used on actual healthcare and addressing the shortage of health care providers.