WKSU Stories

Massillon Could Choose New Owner for Affinity Medical Center Property

Ideastream Public Media | By Kabir Bhatia

Published August 22, 2018 at 6:59 PM EDT

The city of Massillon took over the shuttered Affinity Medical Center in May and is hearing proposals from three groups for some kind of new health care use for the property.

Three groups are pitching themselves to Massillon city officials for a chance to take over Affinity Medical Center, which closed earlier this year.

City officials are not saying who the groups are or whether they’re based in Stark County, but each one is proposing a health care-related use for the property.

In May, the city took ownership of Affinity, and City Council approved more than $600,000 to cover utilities and maintenance through this month.

Massillon Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry said the City will be asking City Council Monday for more funding.

“You have to have staff there for the boilers. We have security there. So we’re maintaining the building so that it is in the shape that we received it in, which was pretty decent,” she said.

The mayor estimates funding request could be about $200,000 and would keep the property in good condition until a new owner takes over.

According to Catazaro-Perry, the city could select a new owner for the property by the end of next week.