Public Invited To Discuss Future Plans For Dorothea Dix Hospital

RALEIGH, N.C. — The state is closing Dorothea Dix in 2007 and moving it to a new facility in Butner. There are a lot of opinions about what should happen when it is gone. On Tuesday, the state wants to hear those ideas.

The market value of the 335 acres of Dorothea Dix land is about $40 million. When the mental health hospital closes in less than two years, one option the state has is to sell some of it.

"We want to have something that benefits Raleigh that is good for the state and good for funding for mental health," said Rep. Jennifer Weiss.

A legislative committee voted last year to develop a master plan for the campus. The state partnered with the city to spend more than $200,000 to study the options for land conservation, mixed-use development and future state office space needs.

If the state decides to sell some of the land, the legislative committee recommended that the proceeds go into a mental health trust fund.

Wake County commissioners are also talking about building a 40- to 60-bed facility to replace Dorothea Dix. If you want to give your input, the public hearing will begin at 6 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center.