Introduction to St. Vincent Medical Center
A private investment partnership has purchased St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles and plans to turn the long-shuttered hospital into a one-stop shop where homeless people can seek help.
The New St. Vincent Behavioral Health Campus
The new St. Vincent Behavioral Health Campus, expected to open in phases over the next two years, will eventually provide job training, 800 beds and a variety of medical services, including recuperative, outpatient, addiction and mental health care, according to Shay Yadin, co-owner of the limited liability company that acquired the 7.7-acre campus.
Services Offered
Services will also be available to people who are housed, but a focus of the new campus will be on serving people who are homeless and those at risk of homelessness.
Purchase and Renovation
St. Vincent Behavioral Health Campus LLC purchased the shuttered hospital in Los Angeles’ Westlake neighborhood at the end of last year.
Cushman & Wakefield brokers Mike Condon Jr., Eric Olofson and Erica Finck represented the seller, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong. Condon said the sale price was $66.5 million.
History of the Hospital
The hospital — L.A.’s first, founded by the Daughters of Charity in 1856 — has remained largely shuttered since Soon-Shiong, who owns The Times and heads the global health firm NantWorks, purchased the campus in 2020 after its prior owner declared bankruptcy.
A NantWorks spokesperson did not return an email seeking comment.
Addressing Homelessness
Some local officials previously pressed Soon-Shiong to reopen the hospital to address the needs of Los Angeles’ homeless population.
Yadin, a healthcare and housing developer, said that is now happening under new ownership, which is partnering with nonprofits, health systems and government to open the campus.
“It’s going to have a very significant, positive impact toward solving” the homelessness crisis, Yadin said.
Services and Housing
In addition to medical care, the new behavioral health campus is expected to include about 800 beds, including interim housing and permanent supportive housing, Yadin said.
John Maceri, who runs the nonprofit The People Concern that will run the on-site permanent housing, said the new campus is unique in L.A. County because it will provide, at significant scale, all the services homeless people might need in one location.
Today, people coming off the streets often have to travel to different locations to meet their healthcare, job training and shelter needs.
Maceri said by centralizing services the new campus will help more people get off the streets.
“People don’t have to go off-site,” Maceri said. “It expedites people getting into care faster.”
Timeline and Funding
Yadin said the first portion of the new campus — 205 interim housing beds for people with specific challenges like addiction and mental health disorders — should open in “coming months.” Additional government grants are needed to complete the entire campus, but Yadin said he hopes all services will be operating by early 2028.
Conclusion
The transformation of the shuttered St. Vincent Medical Center into a comprehensive behavioral health campus is a significant step towards addressing the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles. By providing a one-stop shop for medical care, job training, and housing, the new campus aims to help individuals get off the streets and back on their feet.
FAQs
Q: What is the St. Vincent Behavioral Health Campus?
A: The St. Vincent Behavioral Health Campus is a new facility that will provide a range of services, including medical care, job training, and housing, to help individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Q: How many beds will the campus have?
A: The campus is expected to have approximately 800 beds, including interim housing and permanent supportive housing.
Q: Who is behind the project?
A: The project is being led by a private investment partnership, with Shay Yadin as co-owner, in partnership with nonprofits, health systems, and government agencies.
Q: When is the campus expected to open?
A: The first portion of the campus is expected to open in the coming months, with the entire campus expected to be operational by early 2028.
