Tessa Quinn
DePaul Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, has been closed since 2021. The hospital was founded in 1855 and moved to its location off Granby Street in 1944. In 2021, Bon Secours, the owner of the hospital, decided to close the location due to a major decline in patients. Demolition of the former hospital site began in August 2024, and a local nonprofit, Next Step to Success, plans to construct a youth center on the property.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the hospital | DePaul Hospital/DePaul Medical Center |
| Location | 150 Kingsley Lane, Norfolk, Virginia |
| Year founded | 1855 |
| Owner | Bon Secours |
| Reason for closing | Low patient volume, decline in patients, lobbying by rival Sentara Healthcare |
| Year of closing | 2021 |
| Year of demolition | 2024 |
| Future plans for the site | Youth center for after-school and summer programs |
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What You'll Learn
- DePaul Hospital was Norfolk's first hospital for civilians, founded in 1855
- The hospital closed in 2021 due to low patient volume
- Demolition of the hospital began in August 2024
- The site was sold to the James Barry-Robinson Institute in December 2023
- Sentara Healthcare's lobbying efforts contributed to the hospital's closure
DePaul Hospital was Norfolk's first hospital for civilians, founded in 1855
DePaul Hospital, originally named the Hospital of St. Vincent de Paul, was founded in 1855 and was the first hospital in Norfolk for civilians. The hospital survived a Yellow fever epidemic, the Civil War, and a devastating fire, staying true to its mission of providing care for the less fortunate.
DePaul Hospital moved to its location off Granby Street in 1944 and was a part of the Norfolk community for decades. However, in 2021, the hospital closed due to a major decline in patients. The closure was influenced by Sentara Healthcare's aggressive lobbying and poaching of doctors, which blocked DePaul's attempts to remain financially viable and update its programs.
After the closure, the 15-acre DePaul Hospital campus was sold, and demolition of the hospital building began in August 2024. The site will be redeveloped into a youth center for after-school and summer programs, serving up to 300 children from underserved communities.
The demolition of DePaul Hospital has evoked mixed emotions from the community. While some view it as a loss for those with limited means of transportation, others see it as an opportunity for something new and needed.
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The hospital closed in 2021 due to low patient volume
DePaul Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, closed in 2021 due to low patient volume. The hospital, which was founded in 1855, had a long history of serving the community and was Virginia's oldest Catholic hospital. However, in recent years, it struggled to compete with rival healthcare providers and faced a decline in patients.
The decision to close the hospital was made by the owner, Bon Secours Mercy Health, which cited extremely low patient volume and empty beds as the main reasons. Bon Secours had indicated plans to shift resources from the underused Norfolk hospital to other facilities, including one planned for Suffolk. The company also purchased several other medical centres in 2019, while its hospitals in urban areas saw a decline.
DePaul's labour and delivery unit had already closed after the departure of a large obstetric group to Sentara Leigh Hospital. Sentara Healthcare, a $6 billion healthcare giant, also played a role in DePaul's closure. They blocked DePaul's attempts to advance its operations and poached its doctors, gaining a market advantage.
The closure of DePaul Hospital left a gap in the community, with some expressing concern about the impact on those with limited access to transportation. However, the site is now being redeveloped, with plans for an after-school youth facility that will serve up to 300 children from underserved communities. The new facility will offer free after-school care and summer programs, aiming to address poverty and prepare teens for success.
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Demolition of the hospital began in August 2024
Demolition of the DePaul Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, began in August 2024. The hospital, which was founded in 1855 as the Hospital of St. Vincent de Paul, had a long history of serving the community, surviving a Yellow fever epidemic, the Civil War, and a devastating fire. However, in recent years, it faced challenges due to declining patient numbers and the lobbying efforts of rival healthcare organizations.
DePaul Hospital was Virginia's oldest Catholic hospital and was located along Granby Street and Kingsley Lane in Norfolk. The hospital closed in 2021 after owner Bon Secours cited extremely low patient volume and empty beds as reasons for its closure. There were also plans to consolidate acute care and emergency medicine services with other medical facilities in the area.
In December 2023, the nonprofit organization 'Next Steps to Success' announced its intention to move into the vacant hospital space. The organization provides free after-school care and summer programs for teenagers, aiming to address poverty and prepare them for success as adults. The Norfolk City Council approved the rezoning of the property, and demolition crews began their work in August 2024.
The demolition process is expected to take about a year, with construction of the new youth facility slated to begin after that. The nonprofit plans to construct a campus of "learning houses", a gymnasium, dining hall, gardens, and a soccer field to serve up to 300 children from underserved communities.
While some community members view the demolition as a loss, others see it as an opportunity for something new and needed. The new facility will allow the nonprofit to significantly expand its services and reach more children in need.
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The site was sold to the James Barry-Robinson Institute in December 2023
DePaul Hospital, Virginia's oldest Catholic hospital, was closed in 2021 due to a major decline in patients. The hospital, which opened in 1855, was moved to its location off Granby Street in 1944 and had been a part of the Norfolk community for decades.
In December 2023, the 15-acre DePaul Hospital campus was sold to the James Barry-Robinson Institute. The Institute plans to develop the site into the St. Vincent de Paul House, a new home for Next Step to Success, a nonprofit organization offering free after-school care and summer programs for teenagers. The organization aims to address poverty by preparing teens to become successful adults. The new facility will enable them to help about 300 children, a significant increase from their current capacity of 100.
The James Barry-Robinson Institute will incorporate a campus of "learning houses", a gymnasium, dining hall, gardens, and a regulation-size soccer field. The development is intended to serve underserved communities in Norfolk and is slated to open in January 2027.
The sale of the hospital campus marks a new chapter for the site, which has a long history of providing care to the community. The closure of the hospital was met with mixed reactions, with some community members expressing sadness and others recognizing the need for something new.
Demolition of the former hospital began in August 2024 and is expected to take about a year, after which construction of the new youth facility will commence.
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Sentara Healthcare's lobbying efforts contributed to the hospital's closure
DePaul Hospital, Virginia's oldest Catholic hospital, has been demolished to make way for a youth centre. The hospital, founded in 1855, was closed in 2021 by owner Bon Secours Mercy Health due to extremely low patient volume.
Bon Secours had indicated its intention to shift resources from its underused Norfolk hospital to another hospital planned for Suffolk. The hospital system also purchased several other medical centres in 2019, while its hospitals in urban areas declined. This included the closure of DePaul's labour and delivery unit following the departure of a large obstetric group to Sentara Leigh Hospital.
Sentara Healthcare's lobbying efforts have been cited as a significant factor in the closure of DePaul Hospital. As a rival to Bon Secours, Sentara aggressively lobbied to block DePaul's attempts to advance its operations and remain financially viable. Sentara poached doctors from DePaul and fought the hospital's attempts to gain state government approval to update its programs.
In 2008, the Virginia health commissioner's office, led by then-Health Commissioner Karen Remley, rejected Bon Secours' applications but approved Sentara's. This gave Sentara a market advantage, allowing it to expand its presence in the region. Sentara's lobbying efforts contributed to a series of financial declines for DePaul over the last decade, ultimately leading to its closure.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, DePaul Hospital closed in 2021 due to low patient volume and empty beds. Demolition of the former hospital site began on August 27, 2024, and is expected to take a year.
The closure was due to a major decline in patients. The decision to close the hospital was also influenced by the healthcare giant Sentara, which blocked DePaul's attempts to advance its operations and poached its doctors.
The 15-acre campus was sold in December 2023 to the James Barry-Robinson Institute, which plans to develop the St. Vincent de Paul House for the Next Step to Success youth organization. The new facility will offer free after-school care and summer programs for up to 300 teenagers from underserved communities.
