Holy Family Community Hospital
Holy Family Community Hospital was a full service hospital located at 1915 19th Street Ensley in Ensley. Originally developed by a group of nuns from Kentucky to serve inner-city African-Americans, the initial hospital consisting on 12 beds was completed in 1946. Known simply as Holy Family Hospital, expansions in both 1953 and 1964 resulted in raising its capacity to 83-beds with a staff of 130. The hospital was the center of the black health community as it was the only hospital where black doctors and nurses could practice in Jim Crow Birmingham.
By 1968, the Sisters of Charity would sell the hospital to a group of investors who would subsequently change its name to Community Hospital. By 1986 the facility would again be sold with its name changed to Medical Park West until its closing in 1988. The facility would briefly reopen in 1989 as Community Hospital with 22 beds only to close it down for good soon thereafter. Following its closure, the facility was used as the RETS Electronics Institute until 1993. Since that time proposals for its reuse have emerged including using the facility as a senior center and as a VA facility.
Presently vacant, in 2006 the Faith Chapel Christian Center purchased the property with the intention of renovating it into a community health facility and clinic. The building was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on January 24, 2008.
The property was later acquired by contractor Randall Scott who has been seeking investors to help renovate it as luxury housing for veterans. He kept up a portion of the building as office space for himself, but eventually moved out as he was unable to secure the building from trespassers and vandals.
The white nationalist "Patriot Front" painted graffiti on the vacant hospital in March 2023. Scott gave permission for a community group organized by Alex Brewer to remove the offensive messages.
Administrators
- Sister Agnes Martha, –1967
- Sister Mary Robert, 1967–
References
- "A Spark-A Flame-A Beacon Light: The Holy Family Hospital, Ensley, Alabama" (January 1963) Journal of the National Medical Association. Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 86-92
- Ruisi, Anne (August 16, 1993) "Old hospital may fill role for Ensley's elder citizens". The Birmingham News
- Garrison, Greg (October 13, 2006) "Church shares vision for historic hospital". The Birmingham News
- Garrison, Greg (April 11, 2023) "City urges removal of graffiti on abandoned hospital in Ensley" AL.com