Governor McCrory's Leadership Ends Lengthy Stalemate on Dorothea Dix Property Sale | Eastern NC Now

News Release:

    Raleigh, N.C.     After years of stalemate, 2015 was the year that Governor Pat McCrory and the state of North Carolina finalized the sale of the Dorothea Dix property to the City of Raleigh.

    "We are proud that this year we were able to end the stalemate and broker a deal with the City of Raleigh that is in the best interest of taxpayers and our state," said Governor McCrory. "In the new year, we will continue to find better use for valuable, underutilized state property through our Project Phoenix initiative."

    In April, the City agreed to purchase the Dorothea Dix property from the state for $52 million. In July, the transaction was completed and Raleigh was named the official owner of the 307-acre property.

    As a result of the deal, North Carolina will benefit from a new destination park in Raleigh, while honoring the legacy of Dorothea Dix by dedicating all $52 million in proceeds to improving mental health services across the state.

    The 307-acre property, which contains the Dorothea Dix Hospital and dozens of administrative buildings now used by state agencies, is located near Downtown Raleigh on the south side of Western Boulevard east of Centennial Boulevard.

    The site has primarily served as a mental health treatment facility since the first patient was admitted in 1856. However, the hospital was closed in 2012 after most services were transferred to the Central Regional Hospital in Butner.

    Under the terms of the sale, the State will retain for up to 25 years the use of the property that currently contains office buildings used by the Department of Health and Human Services.

    Contact: Crystal Feldman
       govpress@nc.gov