Richmond, Va.-based VCU Health abandoned a $325 million downtown medical office project that will keep it on the hook for $80 million.
Now, it has begun demolition of the building where the project was to be located, at a cost of $5 million, according to a June 28 Richmond BizSense report.
The Richmond City Council on June 26 authorized the demolition at the Public Safety Building, the report said.
Rapid management turnover, a lack of due diligence and insufficient real estate expertise were among the reasons cited for the abandonment of the project. Virginia Commonwealth University now plans to proceed with a $415 million dentistry center at the site.
Former Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder has called for the resignation of VCU Health President Michael Rao, PhD, over the costly failure of the initial project.