St. Luke seeking to sell massage therapy building
Staff writer
St. Luke Hospital began seeking offers to buy its satellite massage therapy building last week, but the move to sell the building has been in the works for far longer, hospital administrator Jeremy Ensey said Tuesday.
“It was something that had probably been discussed a year ago,” he said. “We talked about it and just didn’t move forward at the time. It’s been a discussion item for a while.”
It creates uneasiness for Carol Wituk, who operates St. Luke Massage Therapy out of the building at E. Main and S. Roosevelt Sts.
“I’m afraid that, with the bidding, people come to the conclusion that I’m retiring, and that’s false,” she said.
While the hospital is entertaining offers, that doesn’t mean the building will be sold to any buyer who comes along.
“We’re not kicking Carol out,” Ensey said. “We still own the building, and it’s a negotiated bid. I want to make sure Carol has a place to work.”
Taking negotiated bids will provide flexibility for St. Luke to turn down offers if they aren’t quite right or if there’s a feeling that Wituk won’t be properly cared for by the new owner, Ensey said.
“If Carol still wants to be there, then maybe we can all sit down at the table and discuss what that looks like for all parties,” he said.
Trying to sell the building makes sense because of the distance between the building and the hospital, Ensey said.
“Not being connected to the hospital or being on-site, there are a lot of disadvantages if we’re to move someone out there,” he said. “Those disadvantages of not being on site, you don’t have that communication with staff and you don’t have the accessibility.”
As for Wituk, she isn’t planning on going anywhere.
“I hope whoever buys it keeps me,” she said.