ST. LOUIS—Homer G. Phillips Memorial Hospital in north St. Louis abruptly closed Tuesday. The hospital, which opened in January 2024, has faced scrutiny for issues with payroll among other financial challenges.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services approved a temporary closure “until a reliable and continuous source of blood can be secured,” according to a press release. 

“The name Homer G. Phillips carries profound historical significance for St. Louis and the Black community,” said Dr. Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis, director of Health for the City of St. Louis in a statement. “For decades, the original Homer G. Phillips Hospital was a beacon of health equity, training, and excellence in serving marginalized communities during a time when segregation limited access to quality care…That legacy makes today’s developments even more devastating, as they represent yet another missed opportunity to honor the name with the respect it deserves.”

The majority of employees at Homer G. Phillips hospital were furloughed, according to a statement by a hospital spokesperson. Officials from the City of St. Louis Mayor’s Office, Department of Health, and the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) are offering resources to furloughed employees of the hospital. 

“My thoughts are with the workers who were unjustifiably impacted by this sudden closure,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “However, I know thoughts must be matched by action, and I’m proud of the quick coordination happening within our City departments to support these workers." 

The hospital, which shares its name with a now shuttered hospital in a different section of north St. Louis, is part of developer Paul McKee’s NorthSide Regeneration project. Funded in part with nearly $400 million in tax increment financing, NorthSide seeks to transform a blighted area north of downtown with new housing, commercial projects and job-creating industry.

"The closure of this hospital right before the holidays represents another failure from Bob Clark and Paul McKee, two developers whose reckless disregard for our city continues to impede needed progress on the North side,” added Mayor Jones in a statement. 

Impacted workers can visit SLATE’s website at www.stlouis-mo.gov/slate/ or by calling 314-589-8000.