By Steve Kemme
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - Converting the old Mercy Hospital Hamilton into a social service and community resource center would carry a price tag of about $13.5 million.

That's the "best guess" of a recently completed feasibility study, said Maureen Noe, president and CEO of Butler County United Way.

United Way is considering purchasing the old hospital from Mercy Health Partners and leasing space to social service agencies, community organizations, government offices and small businesses.

United Way will analyze the study for six weeks before deciding whether the project is feasible, Noe said. "The question is: Can we put the financial package together to make it work?"

The study, conducted by the Sharonville architectural firm of McGill Smith Punshon Inc., identified prospective tenants who would use 190,000 of the facility's usable 277,000 square feet.

Instead of having more than 80,000 square feet unused, United Way would consider demolishing part of the facility, Noe said.

Butler County officials support United Way's proposal because it would centralize social services.

E-mail skemme@enquirer.com