Call it the lawsuit nobody wanted.
Springfield Township has filed a lawsuit against Prospect Medical Holdings, the Foundation for Delaware County, a landlord and the YMCA over the vacant former Springfield Hospital facility on Sproul Road.
The complaint names Prospect as the property owner, Ventas as a landlord, the YMCA as leaseholder for the garage, and the Foundation for Delaware County as a guarantor of the facility.
Township officials said they are not seeking to create problems for the YMCA but want action taken before responsibility for the deteriorating property falls on the township. They argue the neglected site poses health and safety risks, attracts crime, and drains police resources.
Prospect Medical Holdings, the owner of Crozer Health, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January. In April, the bankruptcy court approved the closure of Crozer Health’s two remaining hospitals in Delaware County after a search for a buyer failed. Other hospitals in the Crozer system had closed in 2022.
According to the complaint, township engineers documented significant structural hazards at the hospital’s parking garage, including cracked retaining walls, stair towers weakened by rust, and hanging metal panels that pose risks to pedestrians. The report recommended the immediate closure of stairwells that no longer meet minimum safety standards.
Officials also said the property has become a magnet for illegal activity. Springfield police have responded repeatedly this year to incidents of theft, vandalism, disorderly conduct, drug possession and underage drinking at the garage during evening and overnight hours.
“We fully recognize the important role that the Springfield YMCA plays in our community, which is why we worked to resolve these safety and security concerns in an amicable manner over the past few months,” said Jeff Rudolph, president of the Springfield Board of Commissioners.
“As a township, we have a responsibility and a duty to ensure the property’s deteriorating conditions and security concerns are addressed for the safety of our residents. Beyond our serious safety concerns, we need to take this step because, if we don’t, the township could be liable for failing to take action, and it would be our residents and taxpayers who would ultimately have to bear the brunt of those damage claims.”
Foundation President Frances Sheehan said she was surprised by the lawsuit. “We have been working closely with the township and the YMCA to maintain the Springfield Hospital campus and know that they consider us to be trustworthy community partners,” she said. “We remain optimistic that we will find a solution satisfactory for all so that the community continues to have reliable, high-quality day care, athletic facilities and doctors’ offices.”
YMCA President and CEO Mike Ranck also expressed surprise but pledged to cooperate. “We’re going to continue to work through the process and move forward to serve the community,” he said.
A source familiar with the matter told DVJournal that Ventas does not own or lease the hospital or garage and may have been named in error. Prospect Medical Holdings did not respond to a request for comment.
The court will now decide whether to issue an injunction requiring immediate remediation at the site.