Holden won’t reveal funding source to buy former Woman’s campus until after inspection period

Mayor Kip Holden’s office is closely guarding for now how it plans to purchase the old Woman’s Hospital campus at Goodwood Boulevard and Airline Highway. In supporting documentation of a Metro Council agenda item introduced last week, the mayor’s office noted it won’t release any proposed funding sources for the building until it is deemed suitable for housing the Baton Rouge City Police Department. “He says they’re still negotiating some stuff with the Woman’s Hospital, so they don’t want to say anything,” says Scott Dyer, a Holden spokesman. With a 150-day inspection period, that puts the disclosure of funding sources at least five months out. In fact, the building’s inspection cost has risen to $200,000 from $130,000 since the city-parish announced Dec. 6 that it had signed a letter of intent to buy the building for $10 million. If the building is deemed unsuitable, the refundable amount of the inspection deposit stays the same, at $100,000. The cost change to the due diligence period was introduced last week to the Metro Council. It is scheduled to go before the Finance and Executive Committee on Jan. 2, and then back before the Metro Council on Jan. 9. Holden has said it could cost as much as the sale price to convert the hospital into a fully functional police headquarters. Councilwoman Tara Wicker says Council members are curious as to where the money will come from to buy the hospital but says most agree the Mayor’s proposed use is the best one possible for the site. —Adam Pearson