Dresden Medical Building has New Owner

The building in Dresden that was formerly known as the Hometown Health Clinic has been purchased after nearly three years of sitting vacant.

The building was one of the sites destroyed in the Dec. 10, 2021 tornado that swept through Dresden.

The condemnation process was started and the prior tenant was given until July 23 to remove or repair the structure, however, due to the recent purchase of the building by Donald Perkins, an extension has now been given for Dec. 31 due to it not being feasible to have repairs made in a months’ time. 

Perkins believes he can have substantial repairs done to the south wall and the roof before the end of the year and then begin to work on the inside to make it habitable in hopes of attracting a health client or another tenant.

Perkins explained that the building had suffered extensive vandalism over the past years due to the central units being stripped of all copper and everything inside making them of no value whatsoever.

Perkins said he hoped the city would help his endeavor to attract a tenant for the building and that he would work on retrofitting the repairs to the tenants needs.

According to City Attorney Beau Pemberton, condemnation revolves around the soundness of the building itself.

“That doesn’t mean it’s necessarily move-in ready, but that it’s structurally sound where it’s not posing an immediate threat to the health, safety, and welfare of passersby or those in close proximity,” Pemberton stated.

“The city has an interest in keeping good buildings, good tenants for development and keeping buildings productive and taxable. That benefits the city's interest because that's still a commercial track with an assessment class of 4%,” Pemberton further stated.

A revised order for an extension was granted by the condemnation board unanimously.