HOT SPRINGS - The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) awarded a federal grant for $2,750,000 to the state of Arkansas for security and fire protection services for the former Army-Navy Hospital property in Hot Springs. Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders released the following statements applauding the announcement.
Congressman Westerman said, "This grant will provide critical funding for much-needed security and fire prevention services at the former Army-Navy Hospital, a site that holds so much value for Hot Springs and the entire state of Arkansas. With this grant, we are not only ensuring the safety of the buildings and surrounding areas, but we are one step closer to putting this historic site on a clear-cut path to safer and more beneficial use in the future."
Governor Sanders said, "The Army-Navy Hospital has a significant place in our state’s history and deserves proper care to stay viable for future use. I was proud to work with our federal, state, and local partners to help secure this grant and ensure the safety of the building and downtown Hot Springs. Very grateful for our congressional delegation for their leadership and making this happen."
Wikimedia Image - Old Army-Navy Hospital in Hot Springs, AR
BACKGROUND:
The nearly 21-acre site of the former Army-Navy Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which sits atop the city's downtown on National Park Service land, is rapidly falling into disrepair.
The Army and Navy began use of the Hot Springs Reservation in 1887. The current major buildings, built by the U.S. Government in the 1930s, once served as the first general hospital in the country to serve Army and Navy patients.
The site was deeded by the Army to the State of Arkansas in 1960 and became a state-run rehabilitation center; later being converted into the Arkansas Career Training Institute (ACTI).
In 2020, the state ceased all operations at the site, and it has remained vacant since, falling victim to increased vandalism and unauthorized access, leading to serious safety and fire concerns for the surrounding areas.
ABOUT THE GRANT:
On September 10th, the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) approved a federal grant for $2,750,000 to the State of Arkansas in support of the former Army-Navy Hospital in Hot Springs.
The grant allows the state of Arkansas to provide security and fire protection services for the former Army-Navy Hospital property.
Congressman Westerman worked closely with Arkansas Senators Tom Cotton and John Boozman and Congressman Steve Womack (AR-03) to secure language (Section 2852) in the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to authorize funding for this grant.