SNOW HILL – A company that provides mental health services is expected to soon bring new life to the long dormant Oscar Purnell mansion.
Community Behavioral Health, a practice that provides mental health services throughout the state, is expected to open a Snow Hill office in the Oscar Purnell mansion on East Market Street.
“Plans are in the works,” said Michael Day, Snow Hill’s economic development consultant. “Eventually it will get back on the tax rolls and it’ll be bringing a different set of people into town.”
The mansion, known for its red brick and immense white columns, was given to the Town of Snow Hill by Worcester County in 2015. While the county spent more than $500,000 on exterior repairs in 2010, there’s a significant amount of work that needs to be done before the interior of the house is usable.
“The interior hasn’t been touched and neither has the utilities,” said Jon Hill, the Town of Snow Hill’s code enforcement officer.
Community Behavioral Health is expected to spend more than $600,000 renovating the building.
“They’re drawing up major architectural plans,” Day said.
The work will be done in stages, however, and he said the company hoped to open the building this summer.
The agreement between the town and Community Behavioral Health will be similar to the agreement the municipality made with Toy Town, which now occupies Snow Hill’s old opera house. After Community Behavioral Health has spent a certain amount on improvements and been in business in Snow Hill for a certain amount of time, the property will be transferred to the company.
“It’s a development agreement that will lead to conveyance of the property,” Hill said.
Day said Community Behavioral Health would bring a variety of people to town once it was up and running. In addition to a resident doctor, the practice will house traveling mental health professionals. Clients from throughout the region will also be drawn to Snow Hill to visit the provider.
“It’s going to bring people into town for their services,” Day said.
Hill, familiar with the lack of mental health services in Worcester County, says he’s eager to see a new resource in the area.
“I’m excited there’s going to be that level of care in Worcester County,” he said.
