Medical building demolition is underway

Demolition began Monday, Dec. 5, on the Medical Building at the corner of Hart St. and North Ave. near downtown Henderson.
According to Chester County Property Assessor Beverly Morton, property records show the property was purchased March 6, 1959 by Dr. O.M. McCallum and Dr. R.L. Wilson, from James L. and Ethel May Holland McHaney. The lot at that time reportedly included a two-story home, according to Chester County resident Neil Smith.
While the exact amount is unknown due to the combination of an existing lien, interest and city/county taxes, Drs. McCallum and Wilson paid somewhere between $8,000 and $12,000 for the property. The medical building itself was constructed in 1962. It is unknown when the house also on the property was torn down.
January 5, 1996, the property was sold, from Drs. McCallum and Wilson, to Jackson Clinic P.A. for $225,000. It was surveyed at 1.10 acres at that time. The medical building changed hands again March 31, 2006, from Jackson Clinic P.A. to Madison Clinic Cooperation, for the cost of $390,000. It became vacant sometime between 2006 and 2018, when Madison Clinic conveyed the property to West Tennessee Healthcare – Jackson Madison County General Hospital District for an unknown amount due to the government entity tax exempt status of JMCGH.
Finally, the medical building became the property of Chester County on Aug. 18, 2020. With no cash exchange, the property transfer was included in negotiations with WTH for construction of the Ambulance facility on South Church Ave. in Henderson, according to Chester County Mayor Barry Hutcherson.
The Chester County Commission recently voted to raze the site, due to the deteriorated condition of the building. The property will be home to a new Chester County Election Commission facility.