HAVERHILL — It was once home to elders in their twilight years, but now it is a target for vandals.
Police said someone got into the former city-owned Glynn Memorial Nursing Home at 61 Brown St., and broke windows and damaged walls and ceilings.
Sometime between 11 a.m. Wednesday and 11 a.m. Friday, vandals smashed a window to gain entry into the building, a police report said. The report said there was glass on the floors, damaged walls and ceilings and "general destruction of the vacant areas."
The four-story building is connected to the Merrimack Valley Medical Center, owned by Dr. Ohaly Kapasi and his wife, Dr. Chandra Kapasi. For decades, it was run by Haverhill as a nursing home. Several years ago, the city closed the home and sold it to physicians who converted part of the building to medical offices.
Police said Ohaly Kapasi reported the break on Friday. The damage was to an older part of the building, which is vacant.
Kapasi told police the damaged area would be boarded up and that it is in an area that is closed off from the medical center.
Police Deputy Chief Donald Thompson said vacant buildings in any neighborhood could become a target for vandalism. He encouraged neighbors to be vigilant.
"If you have them (vacant buildings) in your neighborhood, it's best to keep an eye on them," he said.
The Kapasies have had a practice in Haverhill since 1996 as well as practices in Brookline, Cambridge and Dedham. They live in Newton. When they bought the Glynn property from the city in November 2002 for $779,000, they turned the newer section of the building into the Merrimack Valley Medical Center. They moved their orthopedic practice from Merrimack Street to the new center.
City Tax Assessor Steve Gullo said the total value of the property is $1.2 million and that the city is paid $22,800 annually in taxes.
In May 2006, more than 100 property developers, real estate brokers, bankers and investors from across the region attended a Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce event showcasing available properties in Haverhill. One property that was highlighted was the Glynn.
A few years ago the property was being aggressively marketed by a local Realtor.
Currently, NorthWay Real Estate in Haverhill is advertising the property for $4.9 million. Included is a two-level, 26,000-square-foot medical building that is partially occupied with an orthopedic practice on the first floor, an unoccupied second floor set up for a rehabilitation center or assisted living with private rooms, and a four-story, 16,000-square-foot medical building that was formerly the Glynn nursing home.
Local real estate agent Gene O'Neill said his company began advertising the property six months ago.
"The development market has been tough for the last few years," O'Neill said yesterday. "But there are signs of hope and now is a good time to put it out there."
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