Georgia man withdraws from Wrangell housing deal, blames newspaper headline

The tract of nan erstwhile Wrangell Medical Center. (Sage Smiley/KSTK)

Wrangell’s erstwhile infirmary building had a buyer, but he has quashed nan woody — citing a header successful nan section newspaper.

The task would person renovated nan aged Wrangell Medical Center into much-needed housing.  But Georgia resident Wayne Johnson ended his plans because he didn’t for illustration a header successful nan Wrangell Sentinel that read: “Hospital spot developer now wants borough tons for free.”

Johnson intended to acquisition nan building for $200,000, which is importantly little than nan appraised worth of $800,000.

He besides planned to bargain nan six adjacent tons and he said he was going to create betwixt 36 and 40 lodging units connected nan property.

“Unfortunately, nan section newspaper decided to qualify it arsenic nan tons being conveyed under, I deliberation nan header was, ‘Developer now wants borough tons for free,’” Johnson said. “I ne'er wanted thing for free.”

The City and Borough of Wrangell offered Johnson nan six tons for free if he demolished nan asbestos-filled aesculapian halfway by June 30, 2026. But Johnson said location were still inherent costs — he estimated nan demolition expenses astatine astir $1 million. Johnson said nan Sentinel’s header was inaccurate, which caused him to propulsion retired of his investment.

“I’m conscionable successful a business where, you know, conscionable my estimation and my intents are very affirmative towards nan metropolis of Wrangell,” he said. “I felt for illustration nan headline, unfortunately, and moreover portions of nan story, misrepresented what nan metropolis and I had agreed to.” 

He said withdrawing from processing nan tons removes immoderate uncertainty others mightiness person successful him.

The Wrangell Sentinel’s publisher, Larry Persily, disagrees that nan header was wrong. 

“I felt nan communicative was accurate. The header was accurate,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that Mr. Johnson has decided to cancel his finance and improvement plans successful Wrangell.”

Originally, Johnson was expected to adjacent connected nan acquisition by May 31. But past he asked nan borough for nan adjacent onshore astatine a reduced cost.

The borough agreed to alteration nan statement to see a request for demolishing nan building, which would prevention nan borough from liability. And, successful return, Johnson would get nan six tons for free.

Persily questions whether it really was nan header that changed Johnson’s course.

“So it each changed because of a headline, which I find somewhat a convenient excuse for personification who possibly didn’t want to travel done aft all,” he said.

Persily has been successful Alaska publicity and authorities for decades. He said he does not consciousness a request to take sides nan headline.

“I’ve been astatine this for 50 years,” he said. “I’ve been called worse things by amended people. No, I don’t (think I request to take sides myself). I consciousness I should explicate myself erstwhile group ask.”

Earlier this year, Persily said he had a fewer interactions pinch Johnson erstwhile reporting connected nan improvement project. He said their interactions were cordial until June 28, 2 days aft nan header came out.

He said that Johnson accused him of purposefully penning nan header for clickbait aliases sensationalizing it for attention.

“Look, clickbait,” Persily said. “I deliberation (what) group successful Wrangell usage bait for is fishing, not societal media.”

Borough Manager Mason Villarma said he doesn’t person overmuch to opportunity connected nan withdrawal, isolated from that he appreciates nan clip everyone spent connected planning.

“A batch of unit worked difficult connected seeing done arsenic acold arsenic we could go,” he said. “Moving connected and what I perceive is we person 2 willing parties already.”

The borough spends astir $100,000 a twelvemonth to support nan aged infirmary building. It was estimated that demolishing nan building would costs $2 million.

As for Johnson’s early successful Wrangell, nan Georgia resident said he intends to proceed to sojourn often. He has a two-year lease connected nan island, has 2 boats docked successful municipality and is looking for onshore to build a location on. He besides brought a nutrient motortruck to Wrangell to waste boiled crab.

And he’s moving arsenic a Republican for U.S. Congress successful Georgia this year.

“I will beryllium leaving successful a mates of weeks to caput backmost to Georgia to afloat prosecute successful my run for nan United States Congress,” Johnson said. “It’s going to beryllium a very aggravated fewer months.”