KENTON RECORDER
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Christ Hospital walks away from all its plans for Fort Mitchell site Anne Saker
Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK
A war ended in Fort Mitchell on Tuesday, Nov. 26, a war in the circles of policymaking and in the courts, but a war nonetheless. The defeated party, the Christ Hospital Health Network, announced Nov. 26 that after years of trying to establish a medical presence on the old Drawbridge Inn site, it would withdraw, scratching all its plans for a medical offi ce building with clinical space. The Mount Auburn hospital system plan would have been a key part of a major redevelopment of the prime real estate that commands a view from Interstates 71/75 The crown jewel was a dreamed-of ambulatory surgery center, for outpatient procedures. In a statement, the hospital system said it “will not move forward with construction at the former Drawbridge Inn site in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. After careful consideration and planning, the Christ Hospital will instead look to expand already existing services in Fort Wright and potential other sites in Northern Kentucky.” Vic DiPilla, vice president and chief business development offi cer for the Christ Hospital Health Network, said through the hospital's communications offi ce: "The surgery center was the focal point of the Fort Mitchell project. For years, we have been carefully evaluating how best to handle the project, which was made diffi cult by not knowing how the courts would rule. "Our decision to not build at the former Drawbridge Inn site ultimately came from the question, 'How can we best care for our NKY patients?' Without the surgery center, we concluded that expanding already-existing sites like Ft. Wright made the most sense."
During the two year struggle over the site, many leaders in Fort Mitchell advocated for another health care provider to come to their city of 8,200 people and stimulate competition. Tuesday's statement from Christ Hospital came as a surprise to Mayor Jude Hehman. “Our community’s priority since 2012 has been for a high-quality mixed-use development project at the 20-acre former Drawbridge site," Hehman said. "We are surprised and disappointed in the announcement but understand Christ Hospital’s decision to not move forward. I feel confi dent that the site’s assets including prime interstate access and visibility, as well as our strong commitment to supporting this development, will ensure its redevelopment in the near future.” In some states, such as Ohio and Indiana, regulation of where hospitals are built is lightly regulated. But 35 states and the District of Columbia, including Kentucky, hospitals must apply for a “certifi cate of need” from the state government. In January 2015, the Christ Hospital purchased 15 acres of the Drawbridge Inn property from Brandicorp LLC of Bellevue on Royal Drive in Fort Mitchell near Buttermilk Pike. In 2017, the Christ Hospital fi led the certifi cate-of-need paperwork to erect the 24,000-squarefoot ambulatory surgery center. St. Elizabeth Healthcare has been the dominant medical provider in Northern Kentucky since the 2008 merger with the St. Luke system. St. Elizabeth fought Christ Hospital over the ambulatory surgery center. Its argument was that the nine am-
The old Drawbridge Inn site is visible from Interstate 71-75 through Fort Mitchell. Christ Hospital had big plans for that site, but now has pulled out of the project. FILE
bulatory surgery centers already in Northern Kentucky had plenty of capacity. A new one would draw off patients with private insurance, thus handicapping the main provider of health care to the poor, St. Elizabeth. On Nov. 26, St. Elizabeth spokesman Guy Karrick said hospital offi cials would not be commenting publicly on Christ Hospital's decision. In June 2017, the Kentucky Offi ce of Health Policy approved the Christ Hospital’s certifi cate of need. St. Elizabeth went to a trial judge and won there. Christ Hospital appealed but lost there in August. Christ Hospital offi cials had been saying through the court fi ght that they intended to put in the other medical services without the ambulatory surgery center. Tuesday’s statement, however, ended Christ Hospital’s eff ort entirely.
The statement quoted DiPilla: "While we are disappointed that the court ruling has forced this decision, our commitment to residents of Northern Kentucky has been, and will remain, unwavering.” “As a result, and in order to meet the ever-increasing demand for options, we will be expanding services at our Fort Wright site over time, adding to the already robust off erings such as primary care, physical therapy, specialty services and a state-of-the-art urgent care. “We will also be looking to bring our care into new neighborhoods so that we can meet our patients where they are. We will have additional updates as those plans solidify.” Earlier this month, the hospital system set up a web page to thank Northern Kentucky residents for supporting the Fort Mitchell project.
Former CovCath basketball player enters not guilty plea to rape charge Chris Mayhew
Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK
Joseph Eubank, a former Covington Catholic High School basketball player, pleaded not guilty Monday to rape and three fi rst degree sex abuse charges in a Kenton County courtroom. Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders said after the hearing that his offi ce has extended a plea off er. Sanders said he could not comment further about the plea deal off er. The 17-year-old has been charged as an adult but remains in custody in a regional juvenile detention center in Campbell County. Kenton Circuit Court Judge Gregory
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Bartlett set a status hearing for 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11. Eubank was indicted Nov. 7, according to court documents. The indictment states the incidents occurred on or between Feb. 1, 2017, and March 31, 2019. Sanders said that each of the four charges pertains to a diff erent victim. Each of those victims, he said, are teenage girls. On Monday, Sanders asked the judge for an order of no contact with the victims. Any defense attorney is already prohibited from interacting with the victims. A Children’s Law Center, Inc. advocate oversees any access to the victims, he said. “I don’t want the victims harassed,” Sanders said.
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Joseph Eubank enters Kenton Circuit Court on December 2 for his arraignment. The 17-year-old former Covington Catholic High School student will be tried as an adult in a rape case, on one count of rape in the fi rst degree and three counts of sexual abuse in the fi rst degree. SAM GREENE/THE ENQUIRER
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