Audrain County hospital demolition underway; new city hall planned

MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ)

Parts of the Audrain County hospital are being torn down as the City of Mexico prepares to build a new city hall and public safety facility.

The county is taking charge of the demolition of the Stribling House and the former county health department building at the site, city manager Bruce Slagle told ABC 17 News.

Flowmaster Construction is working on the demolition and has notified the Missouri Department of Natural Resources of the asbestos at the site. The information online notes that demolition will be completed by the end of September.

The main hospital is also slated for demolition, but a timeline, cost and contractor haven't been worked out yet. Slagle said the hospital needs to be rebuilt, and the city is negotiating with Boone Health.

"There continues to be good progress made, but we’re not at a point where we can release any information publicly," Boone Health spokesperson Christian Basi said.

The city is also working on design plans for a new city hall and public safety facility in the former hospital's cancer wing.

Mexico lost its hospital in 2022 after the Noble Health Group announced it was suspending operations in Callaway and Audrain County. ZivaMed later took over but also laid off workers and closed Audrain Community Hospital in early 2024. Noble Health owned a hospital in Fulton that also shuttered. 

Check back for updates.