Life Care Gives $5.9 Million Building to Hamilton Co.

Hamilton County officials today praised the generosity of Life Care Centers of America which is donating one of its facilities to Hamilton County.

Life Care is giving a building valued at $5.9 million at 455 North Highland Park Avenue to the county.

Hamilton County officials say they are thrilled with Life Care’s generous donation and describe the single story brick building as a well-maintained, 57,000 square foot facility which can be quickly adapted for use.

Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey said, “This is a generous gift to Hamilton County and will allow us through the thoughtfulness of Life Care Centers of America to better service our residents and taxpayers. Now we have a tremendous opportunity to relocate some services to a neighborhood setting and ease some of the parking issues that people encounter when they visit county offices downtown.”

Mayor Ramsey says Life Care’s Founder and Chairman Forrest Preston approached the county about donating the facility about six weeks ago.

Life Care closed its business operations at Life Care Center of Chattanooga recently and transferred its residents to other facilities.

“Life Care has always regarded its relationship with government to be a partnership, and this is an example of how the public and private sectors can work together for the common good,” said Forrest Preston, Life Care founder and chairman. “We are pleased to make this contribution to benefit the citizens of Hamilton County.”

Life Care’s President Beecher Hunter says, “This seems like a perfect fit; we have four other Life Care Centers in the Hamilton County area and thought a centrally located facility we are no longer using would be an asset to Hamilton County.”

Mayor Ramsey says work will begin quickly to make any necessary renovations to move county offices to Hamilton County’s newest facility.

“We’ll do what we have to do which won’t be much due to the building’s good condition. We again want to thank Life Care for their gift and their commitment to our community.”