Hospital skeleton: Owner's price hike sank deal

The unfinished skeletal remains of Norwood Hospital, a symbol of Steward Health Care's collapse, face an uncertain future. Late last fall, Mass General Brigham (MGB) entered negotiations with the property owner, Medical Properties Trust (MPT), to acquire the 11-acre site and complete the hospital. However, talks ended when MPT requested $250 million, then escalated the price to $375 million, a 50% increase deemed 'flagrantly unreasonable' by State Representative John H. Rogers. MGB found these sums unacceptable, and negotiations stalled.

Mazzucco, Norwood's town general manager, noted that completing the hospital would cost an additional $100 million to $150 million. He stated that the land's value is contingent on a hospital acquiring it, given the lack of viable alternative uses in the Boston area. The Massachusetts Nurses Association union expressed strong support for finishing the facility.

Following the failed negotiations, Representative Rogers filed a bill in January for the state to acquire the property via eminent domain at a fair price. This follows a precedent set in 2024 when the state seized Steward's St. Elizabeth Medical Center. The bill is currently under review, with legislative action or refiling planned for the next session. The absence of the Norwood Hospital, which closed after a 2020 flood, continues to impact local communities.