Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Sitting Across From New Hospital, It Will House Ambulances
Kimball Health Services recently purchased this building, the Best Plumbing location in recent years, on Highway 30. Early on the structure was a Studebaker dealership. Then it became Misco Oilfield Supply Co., and in 1990 Sopers purchased it.
Kimball Health Services acquired the Best Plumbing, Heating and Cooling building just to the east of the site of what will become the new Kimball hospital.
On Aug. 1, Kimball County Hospital dba Kimball Health Services purchased Best Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling Lots 9, 10, 11 and 12, Block 1, Clarkson's Addition to the City of Kimball, for the purchase price of $300,000. The doc stamp on the building was $675.00.
Ken Hunter, CEO of Kimball Health Services, said the building will be used for ambulance storage, sleeping quarters for ambulance personnel and maintenance, and "community health will be in the front part of the building."
Hunter said, "We were aware of the high price of the building. We had put off making the decision (to buy it) to determine alternatives. The alternative was new construction."
The previous owner had replaced the roof, rewired the building, installed HVAC and ductwork, and rebuilt the south wall.
"It gets back to location, location, location," Hunter said, explaining the purchase.
Kimball Health Services had the building inspected and is confident of the structural integrity.
The intention is to obtain COVID funds to remodel the building for ambulance use.
The purchase was made as the hospital takes over the complete operation of the ambulance service in Kimball County, although that is still in progress, according to Hunter. Kimball County Ambulance Service plans on vacating the annex building prior to January 2023.
On April 6, 2016, Vaughn Russell from Best Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling purchased the condemned building for $1.00. By June 27, 2016, repairs had been done to the south wall, and the building was no longer considered condemned. In 2022, the dwelling and land were assessed for $58,530.