The hospital at 2131 West 3rd Street isn't just a building. It is—or was—the literal bedrock of medicine in Southern California. Founded back in 1856 by the Daughters of Charity, it survived the smallpox plague, several world wars, and the explosive growth of a tiny pueblo into a global megacity.
Honestly, it’s kinda heartbreaking to see it now. For years, Saint Vincent Hospital Los Angeles was the place you went for the most complex organ transplants or heart surgeries. Now? It’s a focal point for the city’s complex housing crisis.
The Bankruptcy That Changed Everything
You might remember the headlines from early 2020. They were grim. Verity Health System, the nonprofit that owned the place, had been bleeding cash for years. They filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018, and despite a few "hail mary" attempts to find a buyer, the doors officially slammed shut in January 2020.
It was a mess.
Over 1,000 employees lost their jobs basically overnight. Patients were scrambled to other facilities. The timing couldn't have been worse because, just weeks later, the world stopped for COVID-19.
👉 See also: What Does DM Mean in a Cough Syrup: The Truth About Dextromethorphan
The Billionaire and the Surge
Enter Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong. He’s the billionaire who owns the Los Angeles Times and NantWorks. In April 2020, he bought the shuttered campus for $135 million. For a brief moment, the lights came back on. Under a lease with the state, it became the "Los Angeles Surge Hospital."
It didn't have an ER. It didn't take walk-ins. It was purely a relief valve for other hospitals overflowing with virus cases.
But once the "surge" passed, the building went quiet again. Since then, the massive 10-acre site in Westlake has been sitting there like a ghost ship. If you’ve driven past it lately, you've probably noticed the security guards and the "no trespassing" signs. It’s a lot of empty beds in a city that desperately needs them.
What is Happening There Now?
As of January 2026, the narrative has shifted completely. The most recent news confirms that the shuttered Saint Vincent Hospital Los Angeles campus is being converted into a massive homeless service center.
✨ Don't miss: Creatine Explained: What Most People Get Wrong About the World's Most Popular Supplement
This isn't just a "shelter" in the traditional sense. We’re talking about a multi-layered campus designed to provide medical care, mental health support, and transitional housing all in one spot.
- The Main Tower: Much of the clinical space is being repurposed for recuperative care.
- Supportive Housing: Rooms that once held surgical patients are being retrofitted for long-term residency.
- Mental Health Services: Because of its history as a medical facility, the infrastructure is already there for psychiatric evaluations and treatment.
The transition hasn't been easy. Local neighborhood groups in Westlake have expressed concerns about safety and property values, while advocates argue that leaving a 381-bed hospital empty during a housing emergency is a moral failure.
Why This Place Still Matters
People forget that Saint Vincent was the first hospital in Los Angeles. Before it moved to 3rd and Alvarado, it started in an adobe house. It has "firsts" all over its resume: the first successful kidney transplant in a private LA hospital, a pioneer in total hip replacement, and a world-class center for ear research via the House Ear Institute, which was long affiliated with the campus.
Losing it as a general acute care hospital left a massive hole in the local healthcare safety net. The ER was a lifeline for the dense, working-class neighborhoods surrounding it.
🔗 Read more: Blackhead Removal Tools: What You’re Probably Doing Wrong and How to Fix It
Actionable Takeaways for Los Angelenos
If you’re looking for medical records or wondering what this means for your neighborhood, here is what you actually need to know:
1. Finding Your Records
Since the hospital is closed, you can't just walk in and ask for a file. Most medical records from the Verity Health era were archived through third-party custodians. You’ll need to contact the Verity Health System bankruptcy estate or check with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for the current official records repository.
2. Local Care Alternatives
With Saint Vincent out of the picture, the nearest major trauma and emergency centers for the Westlake/Koreatown area are:
- Good Samaritan Hospital (just down the street on Wilshire)
- LAC+USC Medical Center (for major trauma)
- Hollywood Presbyterian
3. Staying Updated on the Campus
The redevelopment of the site is a multi-year project. If you live in the area, keep an eye on Los Angeles City Council District 1 updates. The transition from a "closed hospital" to a "service campus" involves significant zoning and public safety changes that will affect the surrounding blocks.
The era of Saint Vincent Hospital Los Angeles as a traditional medical center is over. It’s a tough pill to swallow for a city that watched that institution grow for 170 years. But as it pivots toward addressing the homelessness crisis, it might just be entering its most important chapter yet.