• By MARSHA SHULER
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Nov 18, 2009 - Page: 4A

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The Commission on Streamlining Government on Tuesday called for a new “independent” study of all the options for providing an academic medical center in New Orleans.

The vote followed testimony by historic preservationists who favor building a new hospital inside the shell of the 1930s vintage Charity Hospital instead of construction of a new $1.2 billion complex on another site.

The commission voted 7-3 for the resolution pushed by its chairman, state Sen. Jack Donahue, R-Mandeville.

Approval came over the objection of Commissioner of Administration Angèle Davis, who argued that there have already been four or five studies and a decision made to move forward with new construction.

Studies are costly, she said.

For instance, LSU has spent more than $800,000 on assessments done through the Adams firm related to the project, according to the LSU System.

The Foundation for Historical Louisiana raised some $600,000 in private donations to do a feasibility study on renovation of Big Charity, the foundation reported.

“I do not agree with another study on the site,” Davis said.

Davis said she had no objection to an independent evaluation of the business plan for financing the project. State Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine has already contracted with a firm to do that analysis, she said.

State Treasurer John Kennedy said an independent study should be done.

“I don’t think we should fear the facts,” said Kennedy, who argued that prior studies were biased.

Kennedy said rehabilitating Big Charity, new hospital construction, purchase of another hospital and other options should be taken into account.

Kennedy had earlier proposed the commission endorse rehabilitating Big Charity.