Hospital Authority buys more land on SE 29th St.

By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon

The Midwest City Memorial Hospital Authority is acquiring more land near SE 29^th St. and Douglas Blvd.

The Authority agreed to buy 1.75 acres at 8912 – 8920 SE 29^th St. near the southeast corner of the intersection, through an assignment of commercial land contract with Sooner Investment.

Sooner Investment in 2022 signed a contract to buy the corner property but has been unable to secure a potential tenant for the site. They later put money down to extend the original contract until April 2025, but the prospect that they had been courting decided to delay expansion plans.

The development company offered to sell the property to the Authority for the same price plus additional costs it incurred while the property was under contract. The Authority already owns 13.28 acres to the west of the property.

The Authority agreed to buy the property for $2.6 million plus closing costs. Sooner Investment would also be required to provide proof of expenses as well as all reports, maps, test results and any other pertinent information that came as result of those expenses.

Sooner Investment lists total expenses of $141,544.51 for item such as engineering, survey, and environmental studies.

The corner property is currently owned by R2 C2 LLC. A used car dealership leases the property.

Midwest City officials hope to develop the property into a commercial area.

Robert Coleman, economic development director for Midwest City, said they would like to attract a business that is new to the Oklahoma City metro or eastern Oklahoma County.

“We don’t just want another business here, we want something that is unique and attracts people who might not otherwise come here,” he said. “That could be a restaurant, retail or entertainment.”

Coleman said he’s not sure how the city will proceed with development of the property. He said that it could include partnering with Sooner Investment on the project.

Midwest City recently demolished two vacant buildings on the property the Authority already owned. Coleman said they received calls about people trespassing and breaking into the vacant properties.