JOPLIN, Mo. —
Eight possibilities, including a museum, are in the running as a project that could be built on part of the site where the former St. John’s Regional Medical Center stood before it was destroyed by the 2011 tornado.
David Wallace, CEO of Wallace Bajjali Development Partners, said the possibilities will be presented in December to the Mercy Hospital board of directors.
Representatives of the Wallace Bajjali firm, as the city’s contracted master developer, held a series of public meetings and talked to civic groups seeking suggestions for what could be built on about 13 acres on 26th Street east of McClelland Boulevard, across from Cunningham Park. The area is considered ground zero for the tornado, which destroyed or damaged about a third of the city.
“Out of the top 10 concepts, all but two are extremely viable,” Wallace said. Those two will not be presented to the Mercy board, he said. Those are a zoo, which would need a larger tract of land, and a skating rink, which Wallace said he does not think is feasible here.
“The other eight are viable and will be presented to Mercy,” he said.
Ways to finance the project also will have to be identified and discussed with the Mercy board.
“Mercy will make a decision the first of January,” Wallace said.
He said the final selection will be up to the Mercy board because Mercy owns the land.
Wallace said a museum is one of the eight concepts that will be presented. “At this point we want to do more research, and there’s a lot of stakeholders, and we want to get input of everybody including the museum boards,” he said.
“Certainly we’re still hoping for a chance at that location,” said Allen Shirley, president of the Joplin Historical Society. “We’ve met with David Wallace at least twice and have discussed this situation, but it was always as a museum in general. I think he’s been open to the idea. The real key will be Mercy. We’re just in a holding pattern, waiting on the Mercy decision.”
Ideas suggested at public meetings Aug. 29 at City Hall were:
• A history museum of Joplin from its mining roots to the tornado, and its future possibilities.
• A botanical garden incorporated with a museum or with walking trails.
• A science museum with outdoor walking trails featuring landscaping and sculptures.
• Joplin’s mining history done as an interactive exhibit.
• An open space with an outdoor classroom for neighboring schools.
• A musical park where outdoor instruments can be played.
• A human resources campus to connect people with services provided by local nonprofit agencies.
• An arts museum and cultural arts center with a museum exhibit space.
• An outdoor theater.
• An amphitheater or concert hall.
• A chapel with a memorial to those who were born and died at the former St. John’s.
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