PLANT CITY, Fla. — Plant City is saying goodbye to a long-time hospital, as part of the demolition process started Friday.

What You Need To Know

  • South Florida Baptist Hospital is being demolished and completion is expected in March
  • Parking lots west to the main campus have been sold to the Strawberry Festival
  • The new hospital will celebrate one year on Aug. 10

South Florida Baptist Hospital President Karen Kerr said it made sense to sell the property.

“It would have cost tens of millions of dollars, which wouldn’t have been in anybody’s best interest to really develop that property,” she said.

The parking lots west to the main campus were sold to the organizers of the Strawberry Festival, but the main property hasn’t been sold yet.

Some health care workers with a history at the property shared their reactions to the demolition.

Mayra Garcia is doing her rounds at South Florida Baptist Hospital, checking in on staff to ensure things are running smoothly in the labor and delivery department.

“They keep me up to date on everything that’s going on,” she said.

When she’s not checking in on her team, she’s seeing how new moms are feeling in labor and delivery. Garcia has been with the hospital for about 15 years, going from a bedside nurse to now the manager of labor and delivery.

“Once they finish recovering, they’re brought up to the postpartum floor here," she said. "The patient would be here in this room."

Aug. 10 will mark one year since the hospital officially moved to its new location. Although the new, modern space is welcome, Garcia said it’s still sad to see the old facility being demolished.

“Transitioning for me it was bittersweet, I delivered my three kids there, which it was amazing,” she said.

But all is not lost — a legacy wall in the new hospital pays tribute to the past and the role the old facility had in the community.

For employees Gina Blake and Jill Moon, it’s a place to remember and look forward.

“This wall brings everything together, summarizes beginning to where we are now and everything we’ve accomplished,” said Blake, a facility support assistant.

With the demolition taking place, Moon said it’s just a building, and it's the people who truly matter.

“We’ve always been a family and the legacy hospital as well as this one, is just a little different because this one’s larger,” Moon said.

They’ll continue to keep the memories of the old hospital alive through people and pictures and hope to continue caring for patients in this new place for years to come.

Demolition of the hospital is expected to be completed by the end of May.