Confirming months of speculation, a Northeast Georgia Health System official said Thursday that the system has signed a contract to buy the Sherwood Plaza shopping strip on South Enota Drive.
The site, previously anchored by a Food Lion grocery store, has generated much community conjecture since the store closed last September.
Melissa Tymchuk, health system executive director, strategic marketing, said officials signed the contract recently for the shopping plaza.
"It does not involve any additional buildings located in this vicinity. We were interested in this property once we became aware that it was for sale because of its proximity to our Gainesville campus," Tymchuk said.
AccessWDUN began receiving tips in late 2016 that owners of the plaza had new plans for it. Selig Enterprises is the company that developed and leases the space.
"Since Food Lion left we are exploring all of our options including replacing Food Lion with another retailer," Bill Stogner, a senior vice president at Selig said in an email to AccessWDUN on December 9, 2016.
Stogner did not immediately respond to a message for comment on the contract Thursday.
If the purchase goes through, Tymchuk said any firm plans for the plaza are months out
"We do not have any immediate needs for the property. We will be going through a thoughtful and intentional planning process that we know will take at least a year, which we hope will provide some relief from the current tenants, kind of relieve any immediate pressure from them."
Tymchuk said as due diligence continues, the health system will work through lease terms with current tenants, "...in an effort to produce a smooth transition and successful outcome for all."
As far as what will become of the site, Tymchuk said the rapidly growing health system is always looking for ways to make room at its main hospital campus, just down the street from Sherwood.
"We are continually looking for innovative ways to provide outpatient services in a more convenient access point away from our inpatient campus and to move support departments out of our inpatient campus to make room for much needed clinical space," Tymchuk said. "Pending a successful due diligence, we believe this property may provide a good solution to meet one or both of these goals and/or its highest and best use may be something altogether different."
Closing would likely happen sometime in late summer or early fall, Tymchuk said.
Sherwood Plaza is home to several local businesses, including three restaurants.
