NANTICOKE -- An old state hospital in Nanticoke could see new life again.
The auctioneer started the bidding for the old Nanticoke State Hospital at $1 million, but the price quickly dropped to $100,000 and an anonymous online bidder bought the place on West Washington Street.
No one else even offered, although Malcolm Jackson, a developer from the Harrisburg area was interested in it.
“We like the area, and we're hoping to get our feet here with the state hospital,” he said.
Jackson doesn't know what will become of it now, but if it were up to him, it'd be turned into an affordable housing complex.
But some people who used to work at this building decades ago hope the new owners rehabilitate it into a new hospital.
“I hope it's some part of a hospital, because to go to the mountain at Geisinger, I mean it's a nice place there, but it's too far to go,” said Andrew Antolik of Nanticoke.
"You can't have another hospital, because you got Geisinger," said Joe Libus. "But it's a big building to take care of for $100,000, I don't know. It's a good price, I'll tell you that much! "
Whatever it may be, Nanticoke officials hope to put the building back on the tax rolls.