Instead, three of the five city commissioners want the hospital board to continue talks with Los Angeles senior housing developer Dream Harvest Inc. which has outlined a $29 million redevelopment plan for the 14-acre Downtown site. The city initially backed the hospital board's plans to demolish the 64-year-old structure if a realistic development plan didn't surface from the private sector.

Favoring the project are Eustis mayor Gwendolyn M. Manning, vice mayor Evelyn H. Smith and commissioner Frank E. Royce. Opposing the Dream Harvest plan are commissioner, Realtor/developer and former mayor Jonnie C. Hale and commissioner John W. Benton.

If Dream Harvest's plans fail, the California developer promises to pay for the estimated $2 million demolition of the building from an insurance policy written into the development plan, city staffers tell GlobeSt.com.